Abort Retry Fail
by GuardianEnzo
Summary: My account of life after the reboot as our heroes - especially the Enzos - search for their place in the new Mainframe
1. Chapter I

ABORT, RETRY, FAIL

I know I'm showing my age with this title... Apologies in advance for any factual errors or the like, but it was a good three years between ABC and TCN so my Reboot knowledge got a little rusty.

On with the show...

"Hey! Who's the big ugly green guy?"

The ebullient celebration crashed to a screaming halt, the smiles and hugs giving way to a sea of blank stares - and no stare more blank than Bob's, trapped beneath the grinning one meg sprite on his chest. Phong, thinking quickly as ever, hurriedly snapped a picture of the two of them.

"Hey - I asked who the big ugly guy was!" Little Enzo repeated impatiently, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice as his grin snaked into a thoughtful sneer. One thing was clear - the boy, as ever, hated to be ignored.

"Uh..." Dot stammered, glancing desperately at Matrix. The hulking sprite was too stunned even to offer that much response.

"Uh..." Bob added helpfully. 

Phong glanced down at the icon in his hand, a frown creasing his brow. The wisdom that had allowed him to reach the ripe old age of four days told that this was a crucial moment - whatever words were used to explain the incredible situation to Enzo would carry a huge weight - for many long seconds. It was not a decision to be taken lightly, in the flush of the moment - thoughtful consideration was needed, and time needed to be bought.

"Well, Sugar... He's-" Mouse began hesitantly.

"Ah yes, Young Enzo." Phong interrupted, casting a pointed glance at the hacker. "You are looking upon Matrix, the Renegade. He has come from the net to help us in defending Mainframe. Isn't that right, Young Matrix?"

"Uh..." the big man whispered hesitantly.

"Of course, of course you are. Introduce yourself to our young friend, My Child."

"Alphanumeric!" the boy gasped, springing lithely off of Bob's chest and leaping to Matrix' side, staring up at his grizzled face. "Are you really from the net?"

"Um... sure, I guess so..."

"Well, I'm Enzo. Enzo Matrix! Pleased to meetcha! I'm gonna be a guardian someday - Bob says so!" the little sprite said proudly, pointing at his chest. He extended his hand to his bearded doppelganger, who took it gingerly in his own.

"I - You - Maybe you will..." Matrix whispered. "Pleased to meet you too - I think..." He looked helplessly at AndrAIa, who shrugged and squeezed his arm.

"D' you remember me, Sugar?" Mouse grinned at the boy. "It's a right pleasure to see yer face again!

"Um - do I know you?" Enzo frowned.

"No - I guess not - but you will, Sugar!" Mouse chuckled with a wink at Phong.

"You don't know me either, I don't think." AndrAIa interjected softly, looking down at the little sprite with an awed smile and lightly brushing his cheek. It was all a little much for her - she wasn't sure just what her emotions were. "I'm AndrAIa."

"Dude!" Enzo whispered, noticing the game sprite - and her costume - for the first time. He stared at her, mouth hanging open in shock.

"Hey!" Matrix growled. "Watch your manners... Boy!"

"Matrix!" the game sprite snapped.

"S-sorry." the big man sighed, burying his head in hands. "This is all too weird..."

"But - what are all these new sprites doing here?" Enzo frowned. "What's going on? Why don't I know any of you? Dot?" The boy was beginning to get the sneaking feeling that he'd been left out of some adult action, and he didn't like it.

"Wait'll he gets a load of the Surfer!" Bob muttered.

"Hey - whassa matter Dot?" Enzo whispered, noticing for the first time that tears were flowing freely down his sister's face. "Dot?"

The Command Com tried to speak, but she could only manage a weak smile. Finally, she grasped her startled little brother format and hugged him tightly. She smiled at Matrix over his shoulder, and the big man nodded and grasped her shoulder gently. "N-nothing's wrong, Enzo." the woman finally managed to croak. "I'm just - happy you're here. Happy we're all together, that's all. Just happy."

"Man! You've gone basic on me!" Enzo muttered, squirming out of her grasp. "Everything looks different..." he said dubiously, looking at the sparkling city around him. "Did I miss something?"

"Nothing important." Bob grinned, giving the small sprite's cap a playful half turn.

"But- Hey, look out!" the boy cried, alarmed, diving behind Bob's back. "Hexadecimal!"

The virus responded with a hearty chuckle, her mask smoothly breaking into a toothy smile. "The littlest lost sheep has returned to the flock - how precious!"

"What - is everybody off their bitmap? What's going on?" Enzo gasped.

"Patience, My Child." Phong interrupted soothingly. "In an acorn's life, there is but one blooming, and the mighty oak asks no haste."

"Huh?" Enzo frowned. What does-"

"It is of little importance, Child. All will be explained. Come - let us retire to the Principal Office. There is still much that must be done..."

"But why was Hex there? And what was Dot crying for? I-"

"Enough questions!" Bob laughed. "Everything's fine, Enzo. Now shut down, like your sister told you. You've been running in turbo mode all day - little sprites need their downtime, you know."

"Yeah yeah!" the boy grumbled, settling into his docking bay. "But why is your hair like that? It's cool! Can I grow my hair like that? Ugh! Get down, Frisket!" The red dog was enthusiastically licking the youngster's face.

"I'm sure Dot would love that!" Bob sighed. "We'll talk about it tomorrow, Enzo. I've got to get back to my apartment - it's late."

"OK... Frisket's acting weird - he won't let me get away from him for a nano! It's almost like-"

"Good night!" Bob said pointedly. "Tomorrow's a big day." With a last glance at the boy, still valiantly fighting off the affections of Frisket, the guardian slipped outside of Enzo's room and slowly walked toward Dot's.

Bob was tired - more tired than he could ever remember. He'd been though so much - they all had. He'd survived the web, found his way back to Mainframe, with Matrix' help. They'd even saved the city - for now. It had been second after second of constant struggle and now - after the euphoria of the reboot had passed, the guardian could feel it all starting to catch up to him.

"Did you get Enzo docked?" Dot smiled wearily, leaning back on her tattered sofa and closing her eyes as Bob entered the room.

"Yup. He's still running at about five hundred megahertz, though." Bob chuckled.

"He's always going, isn't he?" Dot sighed. "Always running on, always processing. I'd forgotten how exhausting it was."

Bob settled down next to the woman and gently wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Yeah, but not just anywhere. He's always going somewhere - even if he's the only one who knows where, sometimes."

"I've missed that." Dot whispered, tiredly resting her head on Bob's shoulder. "It's not all I've missed..."

"I know." Bob answered, gazing down at Dot's weary face, his thoughts a whirl. "Do you think Enzo saw - well, do you think he noticed what we were doing when he - arrived?"

Dot opened her eyes and grinned mischievously up at him. "You mean this?" The woman met Bob's lips with her own, and they kissed for a long moment. "I doubt he noticed - his mind was on other things. It always is. Even if he did, I doubt it'll bother him. I think it's what he always hoped for..."

Bob raised an eyebrow. "He isn't the only one."

Dot rested her head on the guardian's shoulder and closed her eyes again, and neither sprite said anything for a long moment. "Bob - how should we - what do you think we should tell Enzo about... you know."

"I don't know." he sighed.

"We're finally all together. I never thought I'd see any of you again..." Dot said softly. "Maybe we shouldn't say anything, do anything to spoil it. Maybe it doesn't matter..."

"And let Enzo hear it from some binome down on Baudway? I don't think so!" Bob frowned. "Dot, we'll have to tell him - someone will. He'll find out sooner or later - from that musical tomorrow, if nothing else. Wouldn't it be better to hear it from someone who loves him?"

"But Bob, he's just a little sprite!" Dot protested. "How could he possibly understand?"

"Enzo understands more than you think, Dot. He always did." Bob replied. "It'll hurt him, once he knows - but he has to know. It will be very strange for him, for all of us. Matrix is going through it right now..."

Dot's face darkened. "I know. But at least he has AndrAIa to help him get by..."

"Uh huh. But he still needs his big sister, Dot."

"Do you think so?" Dot sighed, a tear running down her cheek. "I don't know what to think..."

"Maybe you should talk to Matrix tomorrow - take him aside, let him know you're still his big sister. I can take Enzo circuit racing, or something... Have a talk with him, before the show."

"He's _my_ brother!" Dot protested, a little petulantly.

"They _both_ are." Bob said gently.

Another tear escaped Dot's eye, and Bob gently brushed it off of her cheek. "Of course." she whispered "I'll talk to Matrix tomorrow..."

"It'll be all right." the guardian reassured. "We Mainframers stick together, right? Between us, there's nothing we can't handle."

"You're right." Dot smiled weakly.

"I should go." Bob said, kissing the woman lightly on the cheek and standing. "It's been a long day, we're all tired..."

"You don't have to, you know."

"What?"

"You don't have to go, Bob." Dot whispered. "You could stay here tonight..."

"I should go..." the guardian repeated dubiously. "It's late - I - I haven't even been back to my apartment. Tomorrow's another big day."

"Of course." Dot sighed, squeezing his hand. "See you tomorrow..."

"Ram chip for your thoughts." AndrAIa said softly, squeezing Matrix' hand. They shared a booth at the now dark diner, even Cecil having shut down for the night. The excitement had been a bit much for the dedicated server.

"Huh?" Matrix said distractedly. "Oh. It's just... nice to be home, that's all..."

"Of course." AndrAIa sighed. "It's like a fresh start, isn't it? A chance for everyone to do it all over again."

"Yeah." the big sprite said softly. "A second chance..."

The game sprite shook her head. "Don't be so low density, Lover. Everything's going to be just fine - would you rather be stuck out there in game sprite mode again?"

"What? Of course not!" Matrix growled. "Why would you say that?"

"You're thinking too much. You always get into trouble when you think too much."

"Thanks a software bundle!" Matrix muttered.

AndrAIa laughed mischievously. "You know what I mean, Enzo. You-"

"Please don't call me that." the young man interrupted intently. "Especially not now - not here."

"Act your age!" AndrAIa glowered. "What's your error message?"

"Is that... Is that what I really looked like?" Matrix shook his head. "I mean - jumping around, acting like a fool..."

"That's the sprite I fell in love with!" AndrAIa interrupted a little angrily. "That's the sprite I'm still in love with..."

"But-"

"Just hold your cursor!" the game sprite snapped. "Is that what this is all about - why you've been glowering about all cycle? You should be happy - you're home-"

"_We're_ home."

"We're home, then. Everyone is safe, we've saved the city..."

"Daemon's still out there." Matrix grumbled.

"It's not Daemon you're worried about right now, is it?" AndrAIa challenged. Matrix merely crossed his arms and stared straight ahead. 

"It was nice to see that smile again." the girl continued after a moment's silence. "I love that smile - I'd forgotten how much I missed it..."

"Thanks a lot!"

"What?" AndrAIa challenged. "Well?"

"Well... Good night!" Matrix snapped, rising to his feet and stalking out of the diner.

"Which one is supposed to be the grown-up again?" the game sprite chuckled bitterly. She settled back into the booth, watching Matrix' retreating back for a few moments, then closed her eyes, letting exhaustion overtake her.

"Anybody home?" the thickly accented voice called with a light tap on the door of the ship.

"Why, come in, Sugar!" Mouse grinned, activating the door control. "I've been hopin' you'd stop by. What took ya so long?"

"Oh, just havin' a look around, Dear Lady." Ray smiled, taking in his surroundings. "Always nice to get your bearings when you're in a new place - never know when you're gonna need to know the layout in a pinch. Nice digs you have here."

"Why thanks, Darlin'!" the hacker replied. "Why don't you come over here and join me? Plenty o' room in this ol' chair for two!"

"Maybe in a bit, Love." Tracer chuckled, settling into the co-pilot's seat. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you all day. What was all that business about, before - that 'Matrix the Renegade' stuff? And who was that kid - knocked everybody on their ASCII when he showed up..."

"That's kind of a long story, Sugar." the hacker sighed. "You got a while?"

"Well, I dunno." the surfer smiled slyly. "I was wonderin' if you might know a place where a fella like me could shack up for a few cycles?"

"Planning to stay a while?"

"I reckon." the surfer nodded. "Mainframe seems like a right nice place to me - and I figure I ought to see what I spent the last ten seconds fighting to save, yeah?"

"Of course." Mouse grinned. "Well, lemmee see Sugar - there's the Tel Inn, right down on Baudway. I hear it's very nice."

"That so?" the surfer replied dubiously.

"Of course, y'all could just stay here, I suppose." Mouse answered, crinkling her eyes. "It ain't the Supercomputer, but I find it pretty comfortable."

"Well, I dunno Love." Ray smiled. "D'you think it's proper - me stayin' in a lady's place, and all?"

"What's that got to do with me, Sugar?" Mouse laughed.

Phong looked out the expanse of Mainframe, spread out below him. Even at his age, the beauty of the place could still touch him. From his vantage point, high atop the Principal Office, he could see the entire city - Baudway, the Kits Sector, even Lost Angles. And that large, dark spot on the horizon...

With a shudder, the old sprite yanked his eyes away from the former home of the Tor and whirred away from the window. Everyone had suffered, he knew - but no one could know the agonies he had suffered in that place. No one could ever know. He wouldn't wish the knowledge on his worst enemy...

The old sprite knew, perhaps better than anyone else, just how lucky they had all been. They had been a floppy disk's breath away from annihilation - and the system reboot had been a desperate hope, a long shot. It was only by a miracle of good fortune that Mainframe stood proudly again, defiantly - and Phong wasn't about to allow it to suffer the same fate again. Not on his watch.

The dangers that still faced the city were not lost on Phong - Daemon was still out there, waiting her opportunity. Mainframe would surely fall under her gaze once again, and they would have to be prepared.

"You are getting too old for this, Phong." the small sprite muttered, busying himself by performing a final system check for the cycle. The threat of Daemon would be looming over them for many cycles, minutes perhaps - now was a time for rebuilding the lives of those who would hold the defense of Mainframe in their hands. The dynamics of those lives had changed, and in ways only Phong could understand. It would be a challenge to hold those lives together, to keep them from scattering to the winds. No one could be spared - all had a role to play in the struggles ahead. And it would be Phong's responsibility to ensure that all were here when needed.

With a sigh, the old sprite turned away from the command console and rolled towards his personal quarters. There would be a feeling of celebration in the city the next day, and he had to play his part. The others were depending upon him to set the mood, and he couldn't afford to disappoint them. 

The Principal Office was dark, the only sound Phong's primitive propulsion units as they carried him to his nightly rest. He was tired, and he was lonely. "I wonder how the others would feel if they knew..." he mused to himself. 

"Go on boy, get down!" Enzo muttered, gently pushing Frisket away. The dog overpowered the small sprite's grasp and messily rolled his black tongue across the boy's face. "Ewww! What's the matter with you, Frisket?" With a petulant sigh, the boy pulled his blanket up to his chin and rolled away from the pooch, which let out a pained whimper and finally settled down, head resting on Enzo's feet.

Enzo couldn't sleep, Frisket or no Frisket. Something was wrong - every instinct in his body told him. He was proud of his senses - he never missed a thing that went on around him, even if he didn't always understand them. His eyes had picked up the strange, glittering quality that had settled over Mainframe, but, even more, his gut had picked up the tension in Bob, Dot and the others. They were all looking at him funny...

And then there were those others - the red-headed woman who seemed to know him, even though he didn't know her. The young woman, AndrAIa - for some reason Enzo couldn't get his mind off her. And that strange, blond sprite with the big eyes - he'd never heard the man's name, but he'd noticed him lurking around the fringes of his friends. And Hex - Hexadecimal, right there on Baudway - and no one was even worried about it?! It was all basic, totally basic...

But the weirdest thing of all, Enzo figured, was that big ugly green guy. The boy got a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach every time he looked at the hulking sprite - and always, he caught Matrix staring back at him, pulling his glance away quickly every time Enzo looked over. And he never smiled. What kind of a person never smiled? Enzo shuddered at the thought.

The boy sighed and scratched Frisket's ears, then wrapped his arms around the delighted dog's neck and roughly wrestled him onto his side. Enzo was afraid, and he didn't like being afraid. Ever since Bob had showed up in Mainframe, Enzo hadn't felt scared - really scared. Bob was always around, and whenever he was around, it was hard to be really worried. Even Dot didn't seem to worry about stuff _quite_ as much after Bob showed up...

But this was different. _Bob_ was different, and Dot - what was wrong with Dot? She never cried around Enzo - not when she knew he was there. Not even when their father had been deleted. The only time Enzo ever saw her cry, she didn't know he was watching. It had been just a few cycles after the destruction of the Twin City, and she'd thought he was asleep. She'd been so strong around him, comforting him when _he_ cried, but there she was, weeping - quietly, so as not to wake him up. Enzo had crawled quietly back to his room and cried himself to sleep.

The memory brought an involuntary sob to the little sprite's throat. He felt Frisket's wet nose on his own and hugged the dog to his chest. "It's OK, Frisket." he whispered. Why had he thought about that now - after all this time? "It's OK." With a sigh, the boy closed his eyes and waited in vain for sleep to come.

"Aaaand - brought to you by the good folks at 'The Web'... It's the new and improved, Bob the Guardian!"

"Shut up, Mike!" the silver haired sprite said ominously, casting a nervous glance in Enzo's direction. The boy, however, appeared to be paying precious little attention to the TV - his eyes were focused curiously on The Surfer, who sat next to him at the bar, sipping an energy shake and talking with Dot.

"Isn't he lovely folks? The hair is by Georgio Cyrix, and it's a lovely braid work reminiscent of the great gladiators of the fortran era. The jumpsuit is by-"

"I said, shut up!" Bob whispered urgently. "You want Enzo to hear you?"

"EN-zo? You thought it was safe to go back in the data stream, but LOOK OUT! He's back - and he's ticked off-"

"Say Mike, I hear Hexadecimal is looking for some new playthings for her lair. You'd go lovely with her vidwindows, don't you think? Do I make myself clear?" the Guardian hissed.

"Back after these important messages!" the TV said quickly, and disappeared out the door in a flash of static.

"And who's this bright-eyed lad, then?" Ray said amiably, staring down at Enzo.

Dot coughed nervously. "My little brother format, Mr. Tracer. Enzo. But-"

"Ah, Mouse told me all about you, Boyo." the Surfer grinned. "What's processing?"

"Are you really from the web?" the boy asked, awed.

"_From_ the web? Well no - not exactly. Know my way around it better'n just about anybody, though."

"But - how did you survive out there? How d'you get around?"

"That's my function Mate - search engine." Tracer grinned proudly. "The best - numero uno. Couldn't do it without my board, though."

"Your - board?" the boy whispered, sensing something cool about to be revealed.

"Sure - can't surf the web without a board, Lad."

"Awesome! Can I ride it sometime. Can I? _Can_ I?"

"Enzo!" Dot said sharply.

"Aww Dot - you never want me to have any fun!"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Tracer - he's like this a lot. If he's bothering you-"

"No worries, Dear Lady." Ray grinned. "Sure, I'll take ya for a surf sometime, Young Fella. Best feeling there is!"

"Alphanumeric! Thanks, Ray! Can we go now? Can we?"

"You sure your name's Enzo, Kid?" Ray laughed.

"Sure! Why?"

"What's processing, Enzo?" Bob interrupted, clapping the youngster on the shoulder. "Listen, I was thinking - how about a little circuit racing?"

"Sweet! But I was just gonna take a ride on Ray's board..."

"Maybe later, Enzo." Dot sighed.

"Yeah, maybe later." Bob nodded. "You know the circuits are less crowded early in the cycle. Waddaya say?"

"Sure!" Enzo grinned. "Can Ray come with us?"

"Circuit racing, eh?" Ray mused. "Sounds interesting..."

"Actually, I was thinking maybe Enzo and I could spend a little quality time together." the Guardian replied, meeting the surfer's eyes. "You know - just the two of us. Maybe next time?"

"Really? But Bob - "

"No, the blue guy's right, Lad." Ray laughed. "You two go and have some fun. We'll catch up the next time."

"OK. Bye Ray! Bye Dot!" the boy shouted, bouncing off the stool. "Hey Bob, race ya to your car!"

"Yeah, we better hurry anyways - we'll just have time for some good racing before the show..."

Enzo stopped in his tracks. "What's this _show_ everyone keeps talking about?"

The Guardian grabbed him by the elbow. "I'll explain that on the way, Enzo." he sighed patiently. 

"You boys have fun!" Dot called as they disappeared out the door, forcing a smile to her face. She turned to the surfer. "Thanks for - for -"

"No worries, Pretty Lady!" Tracer smiled. "The lad doesn't know, does he?"

"No. I presume Mouse filled you in?"

"That she did. I take it that Guardian fella's gonna clue him, eh? Seems like they're pretty close."

"Very close, Mr. Tracer."

"Gonna be pretty hard for the little fella when he finds out, eh?"

"It sure will." Dot sighed. "I don't know how he's going to take it, but I suppose it's better coming from Bob..."

"Hard to believe the little fella and Matrix are - well... the same fella. Y'know?" Ray mused, shaking his head.

"You know what the sad thing is, Mr. Tracer?" Dot said sadly. "You'd know that better than me."

"Mr. Tracer was my test program, Pretty Lady. I'm Ray." the surfer answered gently. "Don't worry about the little guy - or the big guy. They'll get it sorted, somehow. And Matrix isn't not so bad, anyways, once you get to know him."

"Get to know him... Have you seen my little brother this morning, Mr. - Ray? My _big_ little brother?"

"He and his lady were helping Mouse sort out some system settings in the Principal Office, last I saw him."

"He and I have to have a little talk, I think." Dot sighed wearily. "Care to take a zip over there with me, Ray?"

"Miss a chance to escort a lovely damsel like yourself? Never!" the Surfer bowed.

"Cecil, keep an eye on things, will you?" Dot called, heading out the door. "I'll be back before the show."

"Of course, Ma'am." the served replied coolly. "At last, I can get some things done around here... Entrees! Front and center - Chop chop!"

Enzo _should_ have been happy, and he knew it. Circuit racing with Bob, there was nothing he loved better. Except maybe going into the games. And Bob had said he wanted to spend some 'quality time' with him. And he haven't even had to pester him! And there were all those new sprites around too - that surfer guy was really cool, and his board sounded totally alphanumeric. And that ugly guy, Matrix - that gun of his... Enzo _knew_ he could have some fun with that.

Thinking about Matrix reminded Enzo of what had been frustrating him all morning - he _wasn't_ happy. Everybody was either being too nice to him, or not saying anything at all. It wasn't right. And why was Bob - "What?"

"I _said_ - you're awfully quiet, Buster. Cad got your tongue?"

"Sorry Bob." the boy grinned. "I was just thinkin' about stuff."

"What stuff?"

"Oh you know... stuff." Enzo replied dubiously.

"Didn't you have fun racing?" Bob frowned.

"Sure I did - it was totally alphanumeric!" the green sprite nodded hastily. "Thanks for spending time with me Bob, it's really great. But..."

"But we need to talk." Bob sighed.

"We do?" the boy said softly, knowing the answer. That weird feeling in the pit of his stomach was starting all over again.

The Guardian ducked off of Baudway and steered his car, sputtering and protesting, down a quiet side street. "We're right near Green Screen Park. Let's stop and take a walk. I think this old girl could use a rest anyways..."

The Guardian brought the convertible to a screeching halt in a small docking area by a stand of directory trees. "I like it here - very peaceful-"

Inspiration struck Enzo like a cold slap in the face. "I know what you're gonna talk to me about, Bob." the youngster said softly, staring down at his feet.

"You do?" Bob replied, surprised.

"Yeah - you're leaving Mainframe, aren't you?"

"Wha- Leaving? What do you mean?"

"I've been thinking about it all morning - why you're being so nice to me, and all. And why Dot was crying. An' why that new guy is here, from the net-"

"Enzo-"

"Just tell me, Bob. I can handle it." Enzo said bravely, willing himself not to cry.

Bob started to laugh, than, seeing the pained expression on the little sprite's face, choked it down. He put a hand under the boy's chin lifted Enzo's gaze to meet his own. "Enzo - I'm not leaving. I don't need to have a special reason to be nice to you, you know. I like you - we're friends!"

"You're not leaving? Not ever?" Enzo whispered hopefully.

A shadow passed across the Guardian's blue features. "I made a promise to your sister, Enzo. I'll do the best I can. I take my promises pretty seriously..."

"But... Alphanumeric! Then Matrix isn't here to replace you?"

"Replace me?" Bob laughed. "Boy, that mind of yours is always processing, isn't it? No, he isn't replacing me - although that's not a bad theory, Enzo. I know everything that's happened must have had you pretty worried."

"A little." Enzo admitted. "But - if the big ugly guy isn't replacing you, then what do you want to talk to me about?"

"You may want to rethink calling him that." the Guardian sighed. "Actually, it was Matrix I wanted to talk to you about. C'mon, let's walk for a while." The blue sprite leapt over the car door and lifted Enzo to the ground. "There's a path, right through these trees here. Goes right past a really nice data stream..."

"OK - race ya!" the boy laughed, sprinting towards the woods. "Cool. Too bad we didn't bring Frisket - he'd have a great time here. He was gone when I woke up, I wonder where he is..."

"Handles?"

"Forty." Matrix called out.

AndrAIa stuck her head out from under the command console. "Forty? Will that be enough?"

"Hey - that's what Mouse said. She's the expert." the big sprite answered. He glanced over at Frisket - The red dog was reclining, head on paws, staring intently at him. "He's been staring at me all morning..."

"What?" AndrAIa called.

"Who are you - Al?" Matrix chuckled. "I said - Frisket's been staring at me all morning. Like he doesn't know who I am."

The game sprite pulled herself out from under the console and stood. "That's done." she grinned. "Hey Frisket! Here, Boy!" she called. The red dog lifted his head, stared at her for a moment, then put his head down again and resumed his vigil.

"Yeah Frisket - you and everybody else." Matrix muttered.

"What're you complaining about now, Enzo?" AndrAIa giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him playfully.

"It's that dog - He keeps staring at me..."

"He just has to figure things out, Lover. All of a sudden, there's two of you. And one of you he hasn't seen since you were zero one. It doesn't make sense to him, that's all."

"He's still my dog." Matrix grumbled. "All those cycles, in the games - and now, all of a sudden, he's afraid of me? And it's not just Frisket, either..."

"You really should go and talk to him, you know." the game sprite sighed.

"Who - Frisket?"

"No! You know - yourself. He's probably just as offlined about this as you are."

"He's circuit racing with Bob. Just like nothing ever happened."

"Well, what's wrong with that? As far as Enzo's concerned, it _didn't_!"

"I guess. Maybe after all the show, we'll see. It's just... seeing him, it's..."

"I know, Lover. But neither one of you is going anywhere, are you? So you'd better get used to it! It's actually pretty cool, if you think about it."

"Yeah, real alphanumeric!" Matrix sighed. "And I _really_ don't want to go to that show..."

"Well there you are... Little Brother!" Dot called out. "How's the system reset going?"

"Fine, we're almost done." Matrix tried to smile, forming a kind of half grimace. It broadened into a full grimace when he saw Tracer appear behind his sister.

"Mornin' Mate, Lovely Lady." the Surfer grinned cheerfully. "Your sister's just been giving me the shareware tour of the Principal Office here - very nice setup."

"Thanks. We like it." Matrix nodded gruffly.

"AndrAIa, can you spare En - Matrix - for a little while?" Dot asked, looking towards the wall. "I was hoping we could take a walk."

"Of course, Dot." the game sprite smiled. "We were almost done here, anyway. I can handle the rest of the setup by myself."

"I'll be glad to offer my assistance to the young lady." Ray added, with a small bow.

A glower crossed Matrix' face. "But-"

"But nothing! Go with your sister, everything's under control." AndrAIa kissed him briefly and picked up her toolkit. "I'll see you at the show tonight."

"Yeah, see you at the show." the big sprite said softly. With a last glare at Ray, he followed his sister out of the command room and down the hall. Frisket rose and followed silently at a discreet distance.

Dot turned and smiled at him. "It's nice, the way you two care for each other. I'm glad she was there for you, when - when..."

"Yeah it's nice." Matrix nodded. It was weird - why was he so uncomfortable? This was his own sister! Then it hit him - this was the first time they'd been alone together since he'd returned to Mainframe. He cast a quick glance back at Frisket. "Er... How are things at the diner, Sis?" ~Idiot! What a stupid question!~

Dot slowed, allowing the bearded sprite to catch up to her, and they walked side by side. "There _was_ no diner - not until last cycle, the reboot." she sighed. They walked for a few moments, neither saying anything. Suddenly, Matrix looked up to find himself outside, overlooking the city spread out below him. How often had he dreamed of that very sight? And there it was...

Dot smiled shyly at him for a moment, then turned her glance out at the city. Zip Boards and cars were everywhere, as if the citizens of Mainframe were desperately trying to make up for lost time. Something bothered Matrix, though. For a long moment he couldn't place it, and then it hit him - there was no Tor. He was so used to it's presence, it had been in all of his dreams of Mainframe - but it was gone.

This city was different - it could never be the same, reboot or no reboot. The sight should have filled him with joy, but instead it left him feeling strangely empty. He started, feeling a cool touch in his own. Dot had gingerly grabbed his hand in hers. Matrix stared at it for a moment. That cool, smooth touch - it was so familiar, so comforting - but it felt small, somehow. How could Dot's hand be smaller than his own?

He looked up to see Dot staring at him, her expression unreadable. He met her eyes with his own and tried to speak, but no words came to him. Instead, he squeezed her hand gently and turned back to stare out at Mainframe, and that strangely empty space across the city from the Principal Office.

"You're sure everything is ready, My Child?"

"Of course, Phong." Cecil replied stiffly, as if the mere question were a mortal affront to his sensibilities. "I _am_ a dedicated server. It is my function."

"Yes, yes, of course of course." Phong answered absently. He meticulously straightened a tray of I/O shots on one of the tables. This party had been his idea - a logical opportunity to bring all of the elements of the new Mainframe together - in effect, force them to talk to each other. "I will bring everyone back here after the performance, Cecil. I want them to enjoy themselves. If you need anything, the resources of the Principal Office are yours."

"Of course, Sir." the server bowed. He coughed nervously, and shuffled in place - at least, as close as a legless binome could approximate the action.

"There is something else?" Phong asked curiously, arching an eyebrow.

"Indeed Sir. It's only - well..." The server coughed again. "I was hoping , Phong, that with the reboot and all..."

"Yes?"

"I was hoping that there might be an upgrade for me, Sir. I could perform my function much more efficiently with a pair of legs, Sir."

"Ah, My Child." Phong said sadly. "You know that it is only by the grace of the User that we receive such bounty. Perhaps, in time, you shall be given what you seek. In the meanwhile, we have all been given our lives back, thank the User. Is it not enough?"

"Of course, Phong. It was not my intention to appear greedy." the server blushed.

Phong smiled. It was so easy to take them for granted... "Do not concern yourself, Child. There is an old read me file which says, 'Only in the act of serving others, may one achieve true independence.'"

"Indeed, Sir." Cecil nodded dubiously.

"Do not despair, Cecil. There is much work to be done, and we have much to thank the User for. Come, let us set out the memory wafers and ram chips..."

"She didn't know what to say to me, AndrAIa. She just stood there, looking at me, then away, then back..."

"Why does she have to say anything?" the game sprite sighed. "She's your sister - your best friend. Isn't that enough?"

"Is she?" the hulking youth said softly. "Dot's only ever had one brother..."

"You're driving me offline!" the girl groaned, exasperated. "Besides, you're not exactly Mr. Personality yourself, Lover. Did you ever think of talking to _her_?"

"I tried, AndrAIa. I promise I did. It's just all... different, somehow. Even the city's different. It's not the Mainframe I left."

"Things change, Enzo. You can't help it. The city changed. Dot changed. I changed. _You_ changed. Now stop worrying about it and let's go inside and enjoy ourselves. You know Mike put a lot of work into this."

"There they are!" Matrix whispered anxiously, nodding his head towards Bob, Dot and Enzo, who were approaching the main auditorium. "I can't handle this..."

"Be a man, Matrix!" AndrAIa hissed. "What are you going to do, never talk to him? If you never talk to yourself people will think you're crazy!"

"Look at that!" the young man growled as Frisket leapt up and tackled Enzo to the ground, licking his face. "Stupid dog..."

"Greetings, everyone." Dot smiled. "All ready for the show?"

"Hi Dot, Bob." AndrAIa smiled, squeezing Matrix' hand. "Hi Enzo - what's processing?"

"Hullo." the boy said shyly, smiling momentarily at the game sprite, then looking away. Matrix looked down at him - the child's face was uncharacteristically solemn. The big sprite met Bob's eyes, and the guardian nodded, almost imperceptibly.

Matrix glanced down and caught himself staring back. The youngster quickly looked away, unconsciously sliding a half step behind Bob's back. A long moment of awkward silence gripped the quintet.

"Well, ain't this lovely? All the gang, together again!' Mouse called gaily, joining the group. The Surfer was a step behind her. "What're y'all standin' out here for? I think they usually hold these kinds of things _inside_ the auditorium, don't they?"

"Of course." Bob grinned. "Shall we go on in?"

AndrAIa grabbed Matrix' hand and led him inside the great hall, Mouse and Ray falling in behind. Enzo felt Dot grab his hand and they followed the rest inside, Bob bringing up the rear. The boy was still reeling, and more than a little shaken, but his remarkable adaptive ability served him well - he was already beginning to file and sort this reality in his head. Still, his views on Matrix were clearly going to have to be re-evaluated. He _was_ kinda good-looking, the more Enzo thought about it...

The front two rows of the theater had been cleared, and the binomes inside made way for the small party, giving them a heroes' welcome of applause and whistles. Bob smiled, Dot blushed, AndrAia laughed. Matrix, for his part, shook his head and muttered something unintelligible. Enzo merely took in the scene, bewildered.

As the group filed down the front row to their seats, Enzo realized, with a start, that he'd be sitting next to Matrix. He turned and tried to slip past Dot, but the woman had already taken her seat next to Bob. The row was filled. "Hey Dot! Switch-"

"Seats with me!" Matrix whispered urgently.

"No!" AndrAIa hissed.

"But-"

"Act your age! He'll hear you!"

"But Dot-"

"Just settle down and be quiet, Enzo!" Dot whispered, the act giving her a warm feeling of comfortable familiarity. "The show's going to start any nanosecond."

"Cursors!" Enzo grumbled. Kicking his feet nervously, he stole a quick glance up at himself. Matrix started straight ahead, determinedly ignoring the fidgeting sprite next to him. The boy looked up at the stage, eyes wide. This _was_ pretty cool, when he thought about it - it would almost be like having a big brother! A half grin crept onto his face and he peeked at Matrix out of the corner of his eye.

Matrix could sense the boy staring up at him, but he couldn't force his gaze down. He concentrated on the comforting sensation of AndrAIa's hand on his elbow. To his relief, the lights dimmed and a swell of music rose from the orchestra pit. All eyes turned to the stage.

Dot's mouth opened in a small 'O' of surprise as she saw a very familiar looking binome stroll to the center of the stage and clear her throat. She heard a faint chuckle from Bob, and elbowed the Guardian in the ribs without looking over. With a dramatic cough, the binome on stage spread her arms and began to sing.

_"The web invaded Mainframe..."_

"Some party, Mate!" Ray laughed, one hand clasped around an I/O shot, the other around Mouse's waist. "You Mainframers sure know how to celebrate!" Above his head, Cecil whizzed by, a tray in his hand.

"This is a most special occasion, My Son." Phong smiled. "It is not every cycle the we witness a system reboot. We have been through very difficult times - now is a moment for celebration." ~And for marshalling our strength...~ the old sprite thought to himself.

"You shoulda seen these boys before I showed up, Sugar!" Mouse grinned evilly. "I loosened 'em up a little - ain't that right, Phong?"

"Er - yes, quite." Phong smiled. "My sincerest gratitude to both of you - we could not have survived without your invaluable assistance. Mouse's contributions to the defense of the city were indispensable, and you helped bring our two wayward sons home to us, Ray. Mainframe is in your debt."

"All in a day's work, Mate." Ray said softly.

"Yeah, we didn't do anything special, Sweetie. Just bein' neighborly. Besides, Bob and I go way back..."

"Quite. Have you two given any thought to your - well... future plans?"

Ray cast a look at Mouse, who winked conspiratorially back. "Don't rightly know just yet..."

"Pretty good, huh?" AndrAIa smirked around a mouthful of memory wafers.

"It was all right."

"Oh, come on, Enzo, you enjoyed it - just admit it!" the game sprite laughed. "I saw you pumping your first when it was over."

"I _asked_ you not to call me that." Matrix grumbled. "I suppose it wasn't too terrible - although that binome looked _nothing_ like me at all..."

"Yeah, I think I actually saw him smile. Besides - at least you got a few songs in. _I_ was hardly in the thing at all!"

"Their mistake." Matrix snickered, wrapping an arm around her waist and stealing a kiss.

"Did you enjoy the show, Enzo?" Bob asked the little sprite jovially. Dot, hearing the question, watched intently over his shoulder.

"Pixelacious!" the boy enthused. "I didn't know you could sing like that, Bob!"

"Very funny." the Guardian grinned. "I have to admit, Mike did a good job putting that together. I especially enjoyed the casting - I really thought that was you up there on that stage, Dot!"

"Watch yourself, Buster!" she growled. "So, you... liked it, then? What else did you think?"

Enzo, for about the zillionth time in the last millisecond, wished that adults would just say what was really on their minds. "It was cool... It's just - did all that - really happen? I mean - like they said?"

"Pretty much." Bob nodded, wrapping an arm around the boy's shoulder. "Did you understand all of it?"

"Kinda..." Enzo answered dubiously. "So - I really was a... Guardian... then?"

"Well..." Dot hesitated.

"Yes, you were." Bob affirmed.

"And I failed." Enzo cast his head down.

"No! You didn't fail, Enzo. You did the best you could - I never really had the chance to-"

"Bob!" Dot interjected.

"And then - after I... lost the game..." Enzo could barely bring himself to say it. He took a deep breath and looked up at Dot. "After that, I - you really thought I was..."

"Yes." she whispered. "Both of you."

Enzo could feel a tear forming in his eye, and desperately willed it away. "Dude..."

Dot grabbed his hand. "It doesn't really matter, Enzo. What matters is that you're here, now. We're all here."

"Yeah, but I - I failed!" Enzo spat angrily, pulling his hand away. "I had a chance, and I totally crashed it! Talk about your low-density, basic-"

"You didn't fail, Enzo - nobody did." Bob said gently. "I was the one who was supposed to protect Mainframe. 'To mend and Defend' - remember? We all did our best. And you _did_ bring me back to Mainframe..."

"No I didn't - _he_ did." Enzo sighed, glancing at Matrix, quietly sipping an energy shake in the corner. "I was just the little sprite who screwed up, as usual."

"But - you _are_ him, Enzo - don't you understand?" Dot prodded. "Whatever strength he found, to survive, to bring Bob home - he found that in you."

Enzo said nothing for a long moment, staring at the hulking young man across the room. "Basic... I still can't believe it. We're the same sprite..."

"I just can't believe we're the same sprite." Matrix muttered, shaking his head.

"Me believe it - you both cute!" Princess Boola boomed, jerking the youth's attention away from himself.

"Er - thanks... I guess."

"Him not fight as good as you, though. Not point gun at friends, either."

"I _said_ I was sorry about that..." Matrix grumbled. "What was I thinking, acting like he does all day? Yammering away, jumping on Bob-"

"Ask him self." the Princess added helpfully, lumbering off. "Here you come now." To Matrix' horror, his younger self was striding across the room towards him, a mixture of determination and fear on his face.

The boy stopped a few paces away from the hulking sprite, staring at his feet. After a moment, he lifted his head and glanced sidelong at Matrix. "Hey."

"Hey." the youth responded, staring down.

Enzo finally locked his gaze on his older self, and narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "So you're _me_, huh?"

"Guess so." the youth answered.

"You're not all _that_ ugly, I guess - now that I look at you." the boy said grudgingly.

"Thanks!" Matrix chuckled, unsmiling.

"So - what's it like? Being me - only older?" the boy asked, a note of pleading in his voice.

"I... uh..." the big sprite fumbled. "I don't really know - know how to answer that. What's it like - being me, only a little kid?"

"Don't you remember?" Enzo looked away for a moment.

"I - I don't know. I really - I don't know..."

"Can I ask you something?" the boy said softly.

"Can I stop you?"

"How come - how come you never smile? I mean, you look so mad all the time-"

"You wouldn't understand!" the big man growled.

Enzo took a step back. "How could _you_ say that to _me_? Everybody says that! I'm sick of it!"

"I _said_, you wouldn't understand! How could you? You're just a little kid-"

"And _you're_ a basic, DOS-based, single-sided-"

"Aw, forget it!" Matrix growled, with a dismissive wave. "Go play with Frisket or something, and leave me alone..."

The boy sputtered for a moment, struggling to come up with a response. Finally, he balled his hands into fists and turned away, storming towards the Diner's exit. "Wait! I didn't_" Matrix began, but Enzo pushed through the doors and onto Baudway. Dot looked over at Matrix, a forlorn look on her face, and after a moment, followed the youngster outside.

"He'll be all right." Mouse said softly, causing Matrix to jump.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough. When it comes to gettin' inside that boy's head, I'm the expert, Sweetie. He'll be fine. How you doin'?"

"Why don't you ask him?" the youth sighed, and trudged off to get another I/O shot. A few paces away, Phong looked on, his expression inscrutable.

"There's not much left of her, is there?" AndrAIa sighed. A wave crashed loudly onto the rocks, spraying a light mist on the small group of sprites and binomes huddled together against the cold - especially Enzo, who was scrambling wildly over the boulders, Frisket at his side.

"No Lass - I'm afraid not." Gavin Capacitor replied softly, staring down at the foot long fragment of the Saucy Mare's hull in his hand. "Just what's washed ashore. By the code, I'll miss the old bird..."

"That's not all, Captain. I'm happy that Mainframe was saved, of course - but our entire profit margin has been damaged beyond repair - just like the ship. We haven't the credits to replace her anymore..."

"Aye, Mister Christopher." Capacitor sighed. "It's as I told ye - there's some things more important than a profit..."

"You gave up the Mare to save our city, Captain." Dot said defiantly. "We don't have much, but we'll do what we can to help you build a new ship. Besides - we're still partners, remember. We'll figure something out."

"Ar, yer a spirited gal, Miss Dot." the old pirate chuckled. "But yer the Command.Com, ain't ya? Ye got more important responsibilities now."

"Dot will always find time to turn a profit, Captain." Bob smiled fondly.

"Aye, Lad. And I thank ye all fer yer concern. But I been a spannin' the high seas fer a lot o' seconds, now. Mebbe it's time fer me ta settle in one place fer a while..."

"You're always welcome here, Captain." Matrix added. "I'll never forget what you did for me - for all of us."

"Always room for one more." the Surfer grinned.

"I have a thought..." Dot began. Without warning, a claxon sounded, and a purple cube began descending from the skies overhead, accompanied by a soothing feminine voice. 

"Warning - Incoming game.

Warning - Incoming game."

"Awesome!" Enzo shouted.

"The first game since the reboot!" AndrAIa whispered. 

"This is _not_ good." Bob said grimly. "Without a chance to test the new system settings, there's no way to know for sure how fast the game will run. It could be a very rough ride..."

"Let's go, then - it had to happen sooner or later." AndrAIa hissed.

"Right. Ready gang?"

"Ready!" the game sprite grinned, relishing the thought of a little action.

"We're on it." the Guardian said softly, hopping onto his zip board.

"Matrix - what's wrong?" AndrAIa frowned, astride her board. The big sprite was staring at his feet, kicking the sand.

"Nothing... I'm ready. Let's go..."

"Can _I_ come, Bob? Can I? You said I needed the practice! Maybe this'll be another racing game, d'you think so? Can I come with?"

"Sure, En-" Bob began.

"No!" Dot interrupted loudly, grabbing Enzo by the collar.

"But, Dot-" the youngster protested.

"I said _no_, Enzo!" Dot said firmly, meeting Bob's eyes for a moment. "Maybe next time. We've still got lots of work to do at the diner." The Guardian returned her stare silently, a small frown creasing his forehead.

"Aw Dot!" Enzo complained. "Can't Cecil help you at the diner? I haven't been in a game in milliseconds..."

"We'd better go if we're going to catch that cube." AndrAIa prodded. 

"Right." Bob said softly, and sped off towards the game, Matrix and AndrAIa falling in behind him.

"Wanna check out the game, Tracer?" the game sprite called over her shoulder.

"Uh - thanks, but no, Pretty Lady." he shouted back, glancing over at Enzo and Dot. "Have fun!"

"This isn't fair!" Enzo spat angrily, kicking at the ground. "How come _he_ gets to go and I don't?"

"Enzo, don't do this now. Games are no place for a little sprite - you know that..." Dot sighed. "Besides-"

"You just don't want me to learn!" the boy challenged. "You think I'll just crash the whole thing like I did-"

"Say Lad - I had a little chore on my list today - wondering if you could help me with it." Ray interrupted amicably, clapping the boy on the back.

"What?" Enzo asked suspiciously.

"Someone's gotta reset the error correction parameters - make sure all the net connections are functioning properly after the reboot." the Surfer grinned. "Some o' those systems are pretty hard to reach - gonna have to surf up there. Always use an extra set of hands. Whaddaya say?"

"Well - that _does_ sound pretty cool... That is - _if_ it's OK with Dot!" he grumbled sarcastically.

"Fine, fine." she sighed. "Just be careful..."

"No worries, Lovely!" the Surfer winked at her, extending his board.

"Alphanumeric!" Enzo gasped, staring at the shimmering device. "Can I get one of those?"

"Do all your chores and finish yer homework and who knows what'll happen?" Tracer laughed. "Now - climb on, Kid. Just hold on tight and don't let go - this thing doesn't come with a parachute..."

The three sprites stood, a look of grim determination on their faces, as the game cube slowly descended upon them. AndrAIa cast a worried glance up at Matrix, who was nervously shuffling in place. Bob stood a discreet distance away. "What's wrong?" the game sprite asked worriedly.

"Nothing - I told you, I'm fine!" Matrix hissed through clenched teeth. He closed his eyes tightly as the cube enveloped them. When he opened them, the two young men stood on a vast, desert plain, featureless but for a minareted castle a few hundred paces in front of them. AndrAIa was nowhere to be seen.

"Looks like 'Prince of Babylon'." Bob mused, casting his gaze on the castle. "Storm the castle, defeat the guards, rescue the Sultan's daughter and get married. Easy as pi squared."

"Right. Easy." Matrix repeated. "Where's AndrAIa?"

"I have a pretty good idea who the Sultan's daughter is." the Guardian said grimly. He turned his eyes back towards Matrix. "Enzo, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a virus! Ever since the game cube showed up-"

"Don't call me-" the youth started, by reflex, but stopped himself. Bob, as ever, could see through to his soul. "It's just - the last time I left Mainframe... in a game cube - well..."

"I understand." Bob said softly. "But we've got bigger problems right now - if the User gets to AndrAIa before we do-"

The guardian was interrupted as a flash of color and sand whizzed past, spinning him to the ground. "What was _that_?" Matrix gasped.

Bob pushed himself lithely to his feet, dusting the sand off of his jumpsuit. "This is bad - _very_ bad..." He tapped a hand on his icon, a broad frown creasing his brow. "Reboot!"

"Hand me the calipers, wouldya Lad?"

"Sure." Enzo answered, passing the instrument to the surfer. The two sprites were perched on a razor thin metallic plateau, far above the city. "I've never been up here before - this is totally Alphanumeric! You can see the Principal Office, the diner - even my school!"

"Well, just be careful - we're a long way up!" The surfer answered distractedly. He was lying on his back, grunting with exertion as he reached his long arms towards a jumper switch. "Hah - got it!" The tall sprite sat up and wiped his brow. "That should take of things for a while, netwise. These expansion slots aren't exactly up to the nano technology - I never knew Mainframe was such an old system..."

"Hey!" Enzo protested. "We're not exactly an AT clone, y'know!"

"No offense, Kid!" Tracer laughed. He gaped at the city spread out beneath them. "I gotta admit - I've been all over the network, but there _is_ something about this place..."

"Something with red hair?" Enzo smirked mischievously.

The surfer arched an eyebrow at the boy. "Yer a little too smart for yer own good, aintcha, Boyo? C'mon, let's head on back to that diner o' yours - I could use an energy shake."

"Cool!" Enzo grinned, relishing the thought of another ride on Ray's surfboard. He climbed on behind the surfer and grabbed his waist, and they sped off the ridge and into open sky.

"Hang on!" Ray yelled, picking up speed as they dove towards Baudway, wind whistling past them. "So - you and Matrix had a little talk, eh?"

"I guess." Enzo shouted over the wind. "He didn't say much - except to tell me how basic I was!"

"Last stop - Dot's Diner!" Ray called, leaping off the board and neatly kicking it up into his hand. "Quite a ride, huh Kid?"

"You said it!"

"Don't fry your processor too much about Matrix, Lad." Ray chuckled, walking off towards the diner. "He pretty much rubs everybody the wrong way, when ya first meet him. I think he tried to kill me about ten times..."

"But - why's he hate me so much?" Enzo protested. "What'd I ever do to him?"

"Don't know that I could answer that, Lad." Ray sighed. "Might take about a minute to explain it. C'mon, let's get something cold to drink, we did some hard work out there."

"Reboot!" Matrix growled. That peculiar sensation overcame him - he'd never quite grown used to the disorientation, the momentary blindness, the fine shaking of her very core. When his vision returned, Bob was dressed in a puffy red silk shirt and breeches, and held a long, thin sword. "Nice threads." Matrix whispered.

"Thanks - you too." the Guardian answered, suppressing a smirk.

"What the - I'm a monkey!" the burly youth snarled, looking himself over. "I've got a tail! How low-density can you get?"

"I love the hat though - faithful sidekick!" Bob grinned. "We've got bigger problems than your wardrobe, Enzo. That tornado that blew by was the user. If he rescues the Princess-"

"You mean AndrAIa."

"AndrAIa - before we do, we're toast. Game over."

"But - how is that possible?" Matrix protested. "How can the user be running at a faster clock speed than we are? We won't stand a chance!"

"Theoretically, you're right - it shouldn't be possible." Bob answered, starting towards the castle at a dead run, the monkey in pursuit. "But I've never been though a system reboot before - have you? Apparently it _is_ possible..."

"But how?" Matrix huffed. Even in this form, he was built for power, not speed. "And how can we possibly defeat the User?"

"I don't believe in the no-win scenario." the Guardian answered solemnly. "Maybe the system reboot freed up some extra RAM memory, I'm not sure. Maybe when we fixed the system settings we didn't take that into account. But the game sprites should be running at the User's speed - not ours. He'll still need to get past them..."

"But so will we! If only we could get word to Phong, somehow - get the system settings adjusted..."

Bob halted, staring up at the castle, which was guarded by a moat, well below them. Scores of large crocodiles inhabited it, swimming and snapping their jaws at comical speed. "You were a Guardian long enough to know that's not possible, Enzo. We'll have to figure something out ourselves."

"Starting with getting across that moat! I don't see a drawbridge anywhere..."

Bob silently studied the moat, than the walls of the castle. "There - that window." he pointed at a small portal on the surface of the fortress wall. The Guardian searched though his portfolio of supplies, finally settling on a coil of rope.. "Sure could use Glitch right about now... This'll have to do."

The Guardian hurriedly fashioned the rope into a lariat, and took aim at the distant castle wall. With a great heave, he looped the end of the rope around a stone gargoyle, well above the window.

"Nice roping!" Enzo nodded approvingly.

"You play one wild west game, you've played 'em all." Bob responded. "Now - grab hold of me and hang on!"

"I hope your eyes weren't damaged by all that time in the web..." Matrix muttered, wrapping his arms around Bob's waist.

"Hey - trust me. Ow! Not so tight - you're strong as a gorilla!"

"Sorry!"

The Guardian gripped the rope firmly and leapt out over the moat, the muscles in his arms rippling with strain. "This would've been a lot easier if you were still a little sprite!" he grunted through clenched teeth. The crocodiles leapt out of the water, snapping at their heels and missing by a hair's breadth, their jaws a blur. Matrix was certain they were going to slam into the wall, but they rose at the last moment and slipped neatly through the ingress.

"Maybe we should have traded places for that..." Bob gasped, rubbing his arms.

"Let's not do that again!" the big youth panted.

"I told you to trust me." Bob grinned. "Come on!" The two sprites set off at a run towards the center of the citadel. "She'll be at the top of the east tower - there'll be an access staircase somewhere."

"Well guarded, no doubt."

"No doubt." Bob answered. "Look!" Two shapes were barely visible, their forms blurred. "Looks like the guards are just as fast as Mr. User. Maybe they won't even notice us - think we're statues. Come on..."

"What's the matter, Sugar? You look worried."

"I am, My Child. I don't like the looks of these readings from the game." Phong answered. He craned his neck, staring at a set of dials in the center of the command console.

"Lemme see." Mouse leaned over the old sprite's shoulder, studying the readings. "That's funny - the game shouldn't be processin' at that speed, should it?"

"Speed is relative, Mouse." Phong murmured. "I fear that the reboot has altered the playing field, if you will. We are in uncharted territory here..."

Mouse frowned. "If we used the same configuration settings as before, but the system is faster - more memory, maybe? Speed is relative..."

"Yes, my child - our Guardians may not be running at the same speed as the game. In which case..."

"They won't stand a chance, Sweetie! The User'll run rings around 'em! We gotta do something!"

"We cannot, Child." the old sprite fretted, wringing his hands. "If we change the config settings while the game is in progress-"

"It might crash the game!" Mouse finished the thought. "And if the game crashes while Bob and Matrix are inside-"

"They will be deleted. Yes, Child - a Hobson's choice, I'm afraid." The old sprite opened a vidwindow, Dot's face appearing. "Dot - you'd better come to the Principal Office at once."

"Why?" the startled woman answered. "Is there a problem with the game?"

"Possibly. I'm sure it is nothing to be concerned about..."

"I'll be right down." Dot answered grimly. The vidwindow closed, leaving Mouse and Phong alone in the command room.

"This is indeed a dilemma, Mouse." the old man sighed. "I am not sure what we must do..."

"Hang on, Bob!" the red haired sprite whispered, gripping the edge of the console tightly.

"So far, so good." Matrix murmured, watching the sword battle play out at a blinding pace across the great hall from their position. 

"We'll see." Bob replied. "Maybe the guards will notice us, maybe they won't. But there are other obstacles in this game..."

Without warning, a blaze of black zipped by them, disappearing through a doorway at the far end of the great hall. "Looks like the User got past the first guard... Come on, that's the eastern stairwell. Let's go."

"Why do I get the feeling the user is gonna be one step ahead of us all cycle?" Matrix growled.

"What do you mean, we can't do anything? Phong, that's my brother in there - and Bob! Not to mention AndrAIa... We can't just sit here and do nothing!"

"Easy, Pretty Lady!" Ray soothed.

"Patience, Dot. I fear that we are powerless to help them. Any action that we take may prove fatal to our friends."

"Bob'll think of something!" Enzo said defiantly. "He always does."

"How could this have happened? Why weren't we prepared for this eventuality?" Dot snapped.

"Have _you_ ever engineered a system reboot before - Sugar?" Mouse answered in a low voice. An uneasy silence gripped the command room.

"This isn't helping." Ray finally said. "I don't know much about this game stuff, Mate - is there any way one of us can get inside and help them?"

"I am afraid not, Surfer." Phong replied. "It would be of little value, in any case - any of us would be at the same disadvantage that Bob and the others are."

"Cursors!" Dot fumed. "We _can't_ lose them again - not now! The User can't possibly fail, can he? Not processing at that speed."

"There is one other possibility..." Phong mused.

"_Not_ good!" Bob sighed. Matrix and the Guardian stood in a long corridor which tapered down to a sprite's width at it's end. A staircase spiraled up at the terminus, but between the two men and the stairway rose a formidable barrier - two razor sharp steel blades, rising and falling at a furious rate to meet with a metallic snap.

"Yuck!" Matrix gasped.

"The user made it through there - but one of the guards wasn't as lucky, looks like." Bob added unnecessarily, turning away from the unsightly pile of entrails at the foot of the guillotine. "At normal speed, we could make it through there - but right now we don't stand a chance."

"Is there another way up?"

"No - that's it. I've played this game before." the Guardian said softly.

"But - there has to be!" Matrix protested. "We can't just give up! Maybe we can... I don't know, destroy that thing, somehow..."

"With what? Those blades are harder than anything we have at out disposal. There _is_ another way, Enzo - but I've been trying to avoid it unless absolutely necessary."

"What is it?" Matrix whispered, a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. 

"Your icon." Bob smiled bleakly.

"Of course!" Matrix slapped himself in the forehead. "Why didn't I think of it before?"

"Game sprite mode." the Guardian nodded. "Theoretically, in game sprite mode we should be at the same processing speed as the sprites in the game itself - and the User."

"Theoretically?"

"Hey - this is all new territory for me!" Bob sighed. "You know better than anybody, Enzo - if you run in game sprite mode, you'll compile faster - that's time you'll never get back out there."

"Hey - it's that or be deleted." the big youth growled. "But - you haven't got-"

"No - but I have a Guardian icon. It should be able to run in emulation mode."

"_Should_ be? But you're a Guardian!" Matrix protested. "Can you run at game sprite mode, even with a game sprite icon?"

"I don't know." Bob admitted. "There's only one way to find out..."

"Give me your sword." Matrix said softly, extending his hand.

"What?"

"You heard me - give me your sword. There's no reason both of us should risk being deleted, Bob. I know my icon works - I've used it before. I'll go and rescue AndrAIa."

"Enzo-"

"Dammit Bob, let me do this!" the bearded sprite snarled. "You said yourself, you don't even know if a Guardian can run in game sprite mode! You've - you've got Mainframe to think about. And Dot. And - and... Enzo. My whole world is here, in this game. Mainframe doesn't really need me..."

"Mainframe needs you! Dot needs you - and so does Enzo. Don't be a fool!" Bob sighed. "Besides, I made you a Guardian before, remember? So if it worked for you, then - it should work for me, now. Theoretically."

"But Bob-"

"Give me your icon." the Guardian ordered.

"But-"

"_Please_, Enzo - we haven't got all cycle! 'To mend and defend', remember? Your icon!"

Matrix stared at his friend for a moment, then, with a defeated shrug, handed him his icon. Bob studied it closely for a moment, than removed his own. Gritting his teeth in concentration, the Guardian held the icons a few spans apart, and a stream of white light passed from Matrix' icon to Bob's. "You can _do_ that?" Matrix gasped.

"Don't you just hate me?" Bob replied, not looking up from his work. He handed the young man his icon, and replaced his own.

"I guess there's not much point in me telling you not to do this?"

"Nope." Bob smiled. "See you in speed central!" The Guardian reached and gave his icon, now a disc nearly indistinguishable from Matrix' own, a quick half turn.

"Good luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu." Matrix voice faded into a low, steady drone as a momentary disorientation overcame the Guardian. When he regained his bearings, Matrix stood before him, nearly as still as a statue. The motion of the guillotine, by contrast, was now easily visible to Bob's eyes.

"Come on, Enzo!" Bob fretted, watching the nearly still form of his friend. An eternity seemed to pass, then the low drone of Matrix' voice phased into a decipherable articulation.

"Uck!"

"What took you so long?"

"Long? It was barely a nano!" the youth protested.

"At least it worked. Come on - that User has a head start. Those blades shouldn't be too much of a problem now."

"If you say so." Matrix whispered, watching the angled blades, still coated with the remains of their last encounter, rise and fall.

"Just a question of timing." Bob said confidently, preparing to jump. "Oh, and Enzo?"

"Yeah?" The Guardian discreetly gestured at his backside. "Oops - good thought!" Matrix grabbed his tail and wrapped it around his waist.

"See you on the other side." Bob grinned, and leapt through the singing blades.

"Bad choice of words, Bob..."

"Any change?"

Phong studied the readings carefully as Enzo nervously fidgeted, pacing about the command room trailed by Frisket. Tracer and Mouse had retreated to a corner, well clear of the agitated Command.com. "There has been an increase in energy levels, Dot. I am not certain of the cause."

"This is the worst!" Dot fumed. "Not being able to do anything to help them..."

"I _told_ ya - Bob'll think of something, Sis!" Enzo declared.

"I'm sure he will, Enzo..." Dot answered distractedly, not sounding nearly as confident as the little sprite. "At least we can be ready for them when they come out!" she opened a vidwindow. "Captain!"

"Yes, Commander?" the security chief barked crisply.

"I want recovery teams to sector seven immediately - med units and security detail. I want those sprites brought to the Principal Office as soon as that game cube clears - do you understand?"

"Of course, M'amm!" the uniformed binome saluted.

"Very well." Dot sighed, closing the window. "For all the good it'll do them..."

"Well, _that_ was easy."

"Don't worry, they get tougher on the higher levels." Bob replied, wiping his sword on the breeches of the fallen guard and replacing it in it's scabbard.

"Don't they always? What now?"

"Through there." Bob pointed through a stone archway. The two sprites sprinted through, entering a narrow room with no other points of egress. A forest of spikes dotted the floor in one corner, below a small ledge over which flickering torchlight spilled down. "We need to climb up there."

"Great!" Matrix snarled. He gingerly picked his way through the spikes and reached for a tiny handhold in the stone wall. "Wouldn't want to slip here..."

"You said it." Bob echoed. "Oh, and Enzo - when you get to the top-"

"Heads up!" Matrix roared, as a black-clothed figure abruptly appeared above them, hung for a nano in the air, and plunged, narrowly avoiding knocking the bearded sprite off of his precarious handhold.

"Ooh!" Matrix whispered, closing his eyes tightly.

"That will ruin his day." Bob added.

"So much for the User."

"He'll be back - they get multiple lives in this game. He'll restart on the previous level, but it gives us the lead. Watch yourself when you reach that ledge, Enzo - our porous friend down there didn't fall on his own."

"I see what you mean!" Matrix gasped, pulling himself onto the ledge. A bearded game sprite loomed in front of him, brandishing a scimitar of fearsome appearance. Hastily the youth reached down and pulled Bob onto the short, narrow shelf on which he stood.

The Guardian drew his sword as soon as he gained his feet. "_Not_ good... This guy's tough - and you aren't going to be much help to me here. This ledge is only wide enough for single file."

"So just give me your sword - you've got Gli - sorry." Matrix hissed as the swordsman approached them, brandishing his curved blade with a flourish.

A look of pain flashed across Bob's face. "Glitch can't help me that way - not anymore. The one sword is all we've got."

"But - "

"S'cuse me!" the Guardian said politely, worming his way between Matrix and the swordsman. "Come on, come and get me..."

The two blades met with a screech of strained steel. "Can't...get... past his... guard!" Bob panted. "Only way is to... push him... back!"

The guard launched a furious offensive, driving the Guardian back towards the ledge over which they'd just climbed. Matrix braced himself and planted a shoulder in Bob's back - the Guardian could retreat no further without taking them both down into the steel spikes below.

"Thanks... for the assist!" Bob huffed, stopping a furious blow aimed at his head. With a grunt, he planted both feet in the guard's chest and kicked, hard. The swordsman was pushed back several paces but retained his feet.

Bob smiled and advanced a few paces. He feinted at the game sprite's belly, then brought his sword into a swooping arc towards his head. The swordsman blocked it but fell backwards a few more paces. "Lose...a game...and be.. deleted... after... working so hard... to... come... home?" Bob grunted. "I... don't... think...so!" In a blinding array of feints and thrusts he drove the swordsman slowly back, until, a surprised look on his face, the game sprite disappeared off the ledge.

"Pixelacious!" Matrix gasped. "That was - ...Wow!"

"Thanks." Bob panted. "That's one less obstacle for the User now, Enzo. We've got to keep moving!"

"Where?"

"Up there!" the Guardian pointed. A small archway broke the featureless surface of the wall, fully five times Matrix' height above them.

"But - how? We can't possibly climb that high!"

"Don't have to!' Bob grinned. "There's a little potion, y'see..."

"You mean this one?" Matrix reached for a red bottle, sitting on a receded, torch-lit shelf in the wall next to them.

"Enzo - No!" Bob shouted, grabbing his arm. "Poison. No substitute for experience..." The Guardian carefully studied the wall for a moment, then gave one of the stones a gentle shove. A section of the wall rotated, revealing a blue bottle.

"Alphanumeric!" Matrix chuckled.

"Lighter than air potion." Bob said knowingly. "Tastes like monitor cleaner." With a grimace, the Guardian drained half the bottle and handed it to Matrix.

"Down the input!" Matrix nodded, finishing the flask. "Eeyech! That's worse than any drink AndrAIa ever mixed up - and that's saying something..."

Both sprites were now semi-transcluscent, and a strange queasiness set in. "Always hated that stuff..." Bob grumbled. He bent his knees and leapt, soaring through the air and grabbing the lip of the archway as he flew by. He pulled himself through the portal and reached out a hand. 

Matrix leapt, but misjudged the distance, overshooting the archway by an arm's length. The Guardian grabbed him by the belt as he drifted by and pulled him to the ground. "Whew! Thanks Bob."

"No problem." The Guardian grinned. "One more level, and we're home. This stuff wears off in a couple of nanos..."

"...do them."

"Patience, Child. They have survived the web - they will find a way to defeat the User. Somehow..."

"Look!"

"I see him. Just keep moving." Bob huffed. "She'll be locked up just across the tower."

"That User is really moving - game sprite mode or no game sprite mode." Matrix panted.

"Well, we've eliminated every obstacle for him - why shouldn't he? Whoa!" The Guardian skidded to a halt, arm on Matrix' chest. An abyss yawned before them, and a torch-lit doorway, seemingly inaccessible, across it's width from them. "She's inside that room - there..."

"How do we get across there? Another potion?"

"No more potions." Bob mused. "Do you trust me?"

"Always."

The Guardian grinned. "Remember you said that!" He turned and took a long stride into the abyss.

"Bob!" Matrix screamed. To his amazement, a narrow catwalk materialized, another plank appearing under each of the Guardian's footfalls. "Alphanumeric..."

"Like I said - no substitute for experience." Bob called back. "Come on, Enzo - it's go time!"

The bearded sprite held his breath and strode onto the plank, gingerly picking his way across. Bob disappeared into the torch-lit room, and Matrix followed hot at his heels. He screeched to a halt, narrowly avoiding crashing into the Guardian. 

"Dude..." A barred cell was recessed into the far wall of the room, and inside AndrAIa sat motionless - at least to Matrix' eyes. What really attracted his attention, though, was the figure that stood before the cell door - a huge, bearded sprite at least half again his own height, and just as wide. The huge figure held a scimitar in each hand, each blade as long as Matrix' entire body.

With a booming laugh, the barrel-chested figure began spinning the blades in a dazzling display of swordsmanship. Bob looked on impassively as the behemoth twirled the blades a final time and raised them over his head, falling into a crouch, prepared for battle.

"Very impressive." the Guardian smiled. Without a further word he reached into his boot and pulled out a small dirk, which he promptly hurled at the giant, scoring a direct hit on his icon. The swordsman fell to the ground with a satisfying thud.

"A little something I picked up in a role-playing adventure game." Bob grinned sheepishly at Matrix. "Something about a lost ark..."

"You're the Guardian!" Matrix chuckled. "Sorry I haven't been more help to you, Bob. Some monkey I was... Guess you must think I've gone pretty basic-"

"Nah - winning the game is all that matters - not how you do it."

"But Bob-"

"Forget it, Enzo. Let's just free the Sultan's daughter and get out of here."

"How do we get the cell door open - spell? Acid? Magic word?"

"Nope - key!" Bob answered, rifling the fallen behemoth's pockets. He held up his prize. "This ought to do nicely!"

"Hey - what about the-"

"User?" Bob finished, as a black-clad figure scrambled into the room, gaze passing between Matrix and Bob. He drew his sword and slowly advanced, grinning confidently. With a weary sigh, Bob pocketed the key and drew his own weapon.

"No - allow me." Enzo said softly. Before the stunned swordsman could react, Matrix, with a scream, barreled into his chest and sent him toppling into the abyss.

"Very stylish." Bob chuckled dryly. He turned to the cell and took out the key. "Looks like AndrAIa's never switched into game sprite mode. I think she's got the right idea. We don't want to be in GS mode when the game ends."

"Agreed." the youth nodded. "Ready?"

"Ready." Bob nodded. Each sprite gave their icon a half-turn, and, after a momentary sensory deprivation, they stood before the cell - this time containing a very animated AndrAIa.

"Bob! Matrix - What in the-"

"We'll explain everything, AndrAIa." Bob reassured. He unlocked the door and the game sprite stepped out into the room.

"But - where did you come from? I couldn't see what was going on - everything was a blur. What's the game?"

"The game's over." Bob grinned. "You missed all the action, I'm afraid."

"But - how? It's only been a few nanos..."

"Say - the game _isn't_ over!" Matrix frowned. "What's going on? We freed the Princess..."

"Princess?!"

"Hmm." Bob mused. "I think we need to kiss the Sultan's daughter." He turned to Matrix and smiled. "Would you like to do the honors?"

"Finally - something _I'm_ good at!" The big sprite wrapped an arm around AndrAIa's waist and pulled her close.

"Something is happening. I believe it is almost over." Phong said softly. The others crowded around the console.

"Already?" Dot fretted. "Oh my..."

"At that speed, I'm surprised it took this long Sugar." Mouse noted. Dot reached for Enzo's hand and, finding it, clutched it tightly in her own.

"Game Over"

A deafening silence gripped the command room, each sprite waiting for the dreaded words they feared would follow. A nano passed, then two. A smile crept to Mouse's face, and then, as one, the room burst into delighted celebration.

"Yes!" Dot hooted, pounding her fist on the console.

"All right, Bob! Yeah! Woo-hoo!" Enzo enthused, slapping hands with a laughing Ray. "_Told_ ya he'd do it!"

"Thank the User." Phong breathed. "I am getting far too old for this kind of tension..."

"Come on, let's head over to sector seven and make sure they're all right!" Dot breathed, trying to temper the relief that washed over her. Until she saw them, whole and uncorrupted, she wasn't going to believe it...

"Game sprite mode? You were in game sprite mode the whole time?"

"We had no choice, AndrAIa." Matrix countered defensively. "If we hadn't done it, we'd all have been deleted!"

"I'm just mad _I_ didn't think of it!" AndrAIa fumed. "No wonder it went by so fast - and you two had all the fun!"

"Looks like the welcoming committee's out!" Bob smiled. Dozens of security vehicles and medical transports were spread out before them. "Phong must've figured out what was going on in there..."

"You're unbelievable, Bob!" Matrix chuckled. "I don't know how you do it - no matter what, nothing knocks you off balance-"

"Bob!" The Guardian spun, just in time to see a blur of red, blue, white and green hurl itself through the air and land squarely on his chest.

"Well, almost nothing." Matrix sighed.

"Bob! How'd you do it? We were totally offlined, Dude - we thought you were deleted for sure! But I knew you'd make it! We-"

"Nice to see you too, Enzo." Bob smiled.

"Bob - thank the User you're all right!" Dot breathed. "En - Matrix, AndrAIa - you're OK?"

"Never better, Sis." Matrix said softly. "Processing at a hundred percent."

Bob pushed himself to his feet, neatly hoisting Enzo in one arm. "Thanks for the welcome, guys - but it wasn't really necessary. Just doing our jobs, that's all."

"_Our_ jobs?" Matrix sighed.

"Dude..." Enzo whispered. "I was really worried there for a while. If anything happened-"

"Well, it didn't!' the Guardian grinned, tweaking the youngster's nose and setting him down. "Remember that promise I made?"

"How'd ya do it, Mate?" Tracer asked. "When we saw the speed that game was processing, we thought you were gonna wipe out for sure!"

"Game sprite mode." Bob said wearily. "It was the only way."

"Game sprite mode?" Dot gasped. "But that's - what if..."

The Guardian grabbed her hand and squeezed gently. "I had to make it home, Dot. And that was the only way. Don't you trust me?"

"Of... of course I do." she forced a smile. "I was just worried, that's all..." Bob wrapped an arm around her and drew her closer.

"Are you gonna kiss again?" Enzo grinned.

"Enzo!" Dot gasped.

"Maybe..." Bob mused, and then, turning back to Dot, they did.

Enzo walked over and glared up at Matrix. "I'm glad you're OK."

"Thanks." the big sprite answered tentatively.

"I bet it was fun." the youngster challenged. 

"Enzo-"

"Come on everybody - let's head back to the diner and access a bite. I'm famished." Bob called, arm still wrapped around Dot's waist. Enzo darted over and grabbed his hand and they started back towards sector one. "And then I think we need to have a little talk about system settings, Mouse..."

"I'm on the case, Sweetie." the hacker chuckled. 

"You guys go ahead - we'll catch you later." Matrix called out.

"Matrix?" AndrAIa frowned.

"You all right, Enzo?" Bob stopped, looking over.

"I'm great, Bob. Optimal performance. Just a little tired, that's all." The big sprite trudged off, a frowning AndrAIa a step behind.

"Dude! That was totally alphanumeric! You mean you ran in game sprite mode the whole time?"

"Pretty much." Bob nodded wearily. "The first rule of being a Guardian, Enzo, is you do whatever you have to do to win the game."

"Awesome! What's it feel like, Bob -game sprite mode? I wish I was that fast! Can you-"

"It really doesn't feel any different, Enzo - everything else is still processing the same speed you are."

"Can _I_ try it, Bob? Maybe I can go into the game next time-"

"Look, Enzo - It's not that easy. Game sprite mode is bad news - you compile faster, you know. What do you think happened to Matrix?"

The youngster's face darkened at the mention of his older self. "I'm sorry, Bob. I wasn't thinking, I guess."

"That's OK, Bud." Bob smiled. "Just remember - games are serious business. You have to think about the whole sector, not just yourself. That's why Matrix and I did what we did. Do you understand?"

"I understand." Enzo nodded solemnly.

"Good. Now get some downtime - it's been a big day. Dot and I need to talk for a while."

"OK, Bob. Uh - are you gonna kiss her again?" Enzo grinned.

Bob looked at the boy for a long moment. "Enzo... When I kiss Dot, it means that I care about her - a lot. It means that she's very special to me."

"I get it." the little sprite giggled.

Bob smiled a wry smile. "Is that - OK with you, Enzo? I mean... how do you feel about that?"

"I think it's totally cool, Bob - I promise. Dot's only been waiting for you to do that for like - hours!"

"She has??" 

The boy rolled his eyes. "Duh! You mean you didn't know? The password on her organizer is 'Guardian'! How low-density can you get?"

"Huh!" the Guardian mused. "Well... I'm glad you're OK with that, Enzo. See you next cycle."

"Bob, can we play jetball tomorrow? We haven't played in seconds! Can we?"

"Maybe... You know Enzo - why don't you ask Matrix to play jetball with you? He used to be pretty fond of it, if I remember..."

"Matrix?" Enzo stuck out his tongue disgustedly. "He's no fun, Bob! Can't _we_ play?"

"But Enzo-"

"Don't you wanna spend time with me, Bob?" the boy frowned.

Bob let out a weary sigh. "All right, Pal. You win - jetball tomorrow - _if_ you're good! Understand?"

"Yeah! You bet, Bob - I promise!"

"OK. See you tomorrow, then. Good night, don't let the software bugs bite." Bob smiled, turning to go.

"Bob?"

"Yes, Enzo?" the Guardian turned warily back.

"Can I go into the game with you next time? Please?"

A frown creased Bob's forehead, and he looked away. "I don't know, Partner. We'll see how it goes."

"But - how am I gonna learn if I don't play the games, Bob? I really wanna be a Guardian just like you-"

"Enzo - it's... not that simple." Bob sighed. "There's a lot to think about..."

"You mean if _Dot_ will let me!" Enzo fumed, crossing his arms in front of him.

"We'll see, Enzo. No promises. Now, you swore you'd be good, remember? Jetball?"

"OK, OK!" the little sprite relented. "Good night."

"Night."

"Bob?"

"_Now_ what is it, Enzo?" the Guardian groaned.

"I'm... really glad you're OK. I was real worried. I didn't wanna let Dot know - she was kinda scared..."

"Thanks."

"Anyways, I'm glad you're OK." the boy grinned. 

The Guardian smiled down at the boy. "Yeah. Me too. Night."

"This energy shake is terrible." Matrix snarled, tossing it aside. "Dot's let things go at the diner..."

"Enzo-"

"Docking bay's really uncomfortable too." the bearded sprite grumbled.

"We've only been back in Mainframe a few cycles, Lover. Bob's garage isn't exactly a luxury hotel, you know. Don't worry - we'll get our own place soon..."

"Yeah." Matrix said softly, folding his hands behind his head. "I guess..."

"Matrix, this act of yours is starting to wear thin!" AndrAIa muttered. "No matter what happens, it's never good enough. At least you're home - and all you can do is complain!"

"It doesn't _feel_ like home!" Matrix protested. "Everything is... different. I just can't get comfortable here-"

"At least you _have_ a home!" the game sprite half shouted. "At least you have a family- a sister, Bob. You _had_ parents. And Enzo-"

"Enzo!" the youth rolled his eyes."

"Gack! You're driving me offline!" AndrAIa growled. "Why don't you stop and appreciate what you've got instead of complaining about it? I never had any family - any home at all-"

"_I'm_ your family!" Matrix protested. "Aren't I?"

"I love you!" the girl replied fiercely. "But sometimes I don't like you very much. I wish I had a little of what you have, Matrix - and you don't appreciate any of it. How hard did you work to come home? How long did you fight - how many games did you win? And now look what you've got - what more could you possibly want?"

"I know, I know!" the young man sighed. "It's just... that game today. I felt totally useless in there, AndrAIa - I felt like an EISA card or something..."

"Why?" the game sprite said softly, holding his face in her hands. "You won, didn't you?"

"_Bob_ won. He didn't need me there... I was totally basic, I just got in the way..."

"Bob can't help being good at what he does, you know."

"I know. He's the best. But that's it, see - he _is_ the best! He doesn't need my help - Mainframe is in good hands. Bob can handle the games, and Dot has her brother back. They don't need me here..."

"Oh, Matrix.." the game sprite sighed, resting her head wearily on his shoulder. "Be patient. It'll all work out, I promise. And I'm tired of running..."

"You're getting pretty good at putting Enzo to bed, huh?" Dot smiled wearily.

"Yeah!" Bob chuckled, sitting down next to her. "He seems to like it, so..."

"And I don't think I'm his favorite person right now..."

"He's just a little sprite, Dot. He'll get over this game business."

"Will he?" Dot sighed. "I'm not so sure. Especially with Matrix around. Enzo doesn't like feeling left out."

Bob scratched his chin thoughtfully, casting a wary glance at Dot. "Maybe - maybe I _should_ take him into a few games. Do you think?"

"Why? So he can almost be deleted when the game runs too fast?"

"Dot, that was a fluke - you know it. It was due to the reboot - Phong and Mouse won't let that happen twice..."

"I know. But it'll be something different next time. Games are _dangerous_, Bob - and he's only a little sprite!"

"Sure." Bob said dubiously. "He's _your_ little brother format, Dot. It's your decision. It's just - do you think it's fair, never to let him go into the games after you did for so long? He doesn't understand why things are any different now."

"He wants to be like you, Bob." Dot said softly "He wants to be a Guardian. That's all he's ever wanted - from the nano you came to Mainframe."

"I - I'm not trying to take him away from you..."

"Aren't you?" Dot turned, eyes burning. "I already lost him once, Bob. Do you have any idea what that was like? _Could _ you have any idea?"

"I - No, I guess I couldn't..."

"I'm sorry." she sighed. "I didn't mean-"

"Dot, do you think - I mean... I never intended anything to happen to Enzo. But if it's what he wants - and he's good at it..."

"Let's not talk about what you intended." she whispered.

"What are you saying?" Bob said in a low voice - one rarely heard by his friends.

Dot shook her head. "Never mind. Let's drop it, talk about something else. It's been a long cycle, we're all tired..."

The Guardian stared at her for a long moment, then turned away. "If you say so."

"I'm sorry..." she mumbled. "Are you coming by next cycle?"

"Yeah - I told Enzo I'd play jetball with him. Is that OK?"

"Of course it's OK." Dot smiled wearily. "You know Enzo always has fun with you, Bob. Why shouldn't he?"

"_Now_ what?_" Bob sighed.

"Well - it seems like all you and Enzo do is play games, have fun - and I'm always the one who has to say no. Maybe you should try saying no once in a while."

"This just isn't my cycle, is it? I can't help it if Enzo wants to do stuff with me, Dot. He likes me. What do you want me to do - ignore him completely?"

"Of course not!" she hissed.

"Well, why are you telling me this - now?"

Dot locked eyes with the Guardian. "Things are a little different now. Between you and me. And that means between you and Enzo, too." An awkward silence hung in the air for a nano. "Aren't they?"

Bob said nothing for a moment, instead lightly brushing his hand on Dot's cheek. "I'm not sure what I think right now." he finally whispered. "I think I need to access some downtime, Dot. See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow." she answered softly. The Guardian kissed her lightly on the forehead and was gone.


	2. Chapter II

ABORT, RERTY, FAIL

PART II

"Ah, good morning Dot. So kind of you to visit me. I receive so little company in my chambers. How are the resource allocations progressing?"

"Fine, Phong." Dot smiled. "We've got full services restored now to all sectors - the maintenance crews have finished the system checks. Well, except for Lost Angles..."

"Ah yes, Lost Angles." the old sprite nodded. "That is indeed an interesting conundrum, Child."

"We've offered to provide services to her sectors, Phong - but no response. I didn't think we should force the issue."

"Indeed, Child." Phong nodded. "I have lived a good long while, but never did I imagine I would live long enough to see a virus offered protection by the Principal Office."

"Well - that's just it, isn't it?" Dot sighed. "She isn't really a virus - not anymore."

"Do _you_ want to explain that to her?" Phong asked wryly.

"I suppose not. She's still - well..."

"Yes, she is." Phong agreed. "I am certain she will prove to be a most - interesting - companion for the rest of Mainframe."

"There is another matter that needs to be decided." Dot frowned. "The Tor - well, where it used to be. All that empty space - what should we do with it?"

"What indeed?" the old sprite said quietly, closing his eyes. "I think, perhaps, it a fitting memorial - a reminder of what we have all suffered. It would be disrespectful to those who have suffered for us to build there, would it not?"

"Perhaps it would, Phong." Dot said dubiously. "The sectors are certainly valuable, though..."

"It may be so, Child. We will decide in the fullness of time - there is no urgency. Let nature have those sectors, for now." The old sprite adjusted his glasses and looked down his nose at the Command.com. "Now, Dot - what have you come to see me about?"

"What do you mean, Phong?"

"Ah, Dot. I have not lived four days and learned nothing of the workings of sprites. The concern is etched deeply into your face. Please - speak."

"Well - there _is_ something..." she sighed.

"Please, sit down. Perhaps you would like a cup of cocoa?"

"Thank you." Dot replied absently, settling into one of the old sprite's Spartan chairs.

"There is much for us to be joyous about, Young One." Phong smiled, pouring two saucers of steaming liquid. "And yet, I sense great unease in you this morning."

"Unease? I suppose..." she whispered, accepting the cup from the old sprite. "There's so much to do, it seems like I'll never catch up with it all..."

"The burdens of responsibility weight heavily, Child." Phong nodded. "Yet I sense that matters much less grand - and much closer to your heart - are burdening you this morning."

Dot took a quick sip of cocoa and a deep breath. "I never thought we'd see this day, Phong. I thought I'd lost everything - Enzo, Bob, yourself... I thought I'd lost Mainframe."

"We have all survived long odds, Dot." Phong nodded understandingly.

The Command.com smiled a weak smile. "I never thought we'd all be together again, Phong. Even when the city itself seemed doomed, that was all I really dreamed of - Bob, Enzo, you, me - that was all that mattered. And now it's come true..."

"But?"

The woman discreetly wiped away a tear. "It wasn't supposed to be like this... Bob and I are fighting, about Enzo... Matrix acts like he hardly knows me. And he _doesn't_ know me, Phong! My own brother is like a stranger, and Enzo - he thinks I don't believe in him..." The tears began to flow freely now.

"Child, Child..." Phong sighed. "There was an old read me file that my father told me, when I was but a little sprite: 'Be careful what you wish for - you just might get it.'"

"Phong?" Dot sniffed.

"My Child, these feelings - they are not yours alone, I promise you. When a sprite sets a goal in their mind, when it fills their dreams - often, the most difficult moment is the realization of that dream. Reality is never the same file as expectation. And, absent that now achieved goal, the sprite must find something new to fill their dreams..."

"Why does everything have to be so complicated?" Dot grumbled, wiping her eyes.

"We all process in out own way, Dot. No two sprites are alike. It is what provides the color, the texture in our existence."

"Of course, of course. You're right." she sighed. "Phong, what - what should I do? Am I wrong to keep Enzo from the games? Should I let him go with Bob? He's just a little sprite..."

"You know I cannot answer that, Child." Phong replied gently. "You must trust what is in your heart - and only you know what is there."

"How did I know you were going to say that?" the woman laughed bitterly. "And Matrix - he and Enzo can't seem to see eye to eye... Why can't they understand how alike they are, Phong? How can I make them understand?"

The old sprite wrung his hands thoughtfully. "It is most difficult, Child - this question you ask. Enzo is but a small sprite, true - yet he understands much, more than you believe him to, I think The changes he sees, in himself and in his surroundings - they frighten him. And Matrix - he has seen much, survived much - and now he feels as a stranger in his home."

"Why, Phong? Why does he feel like a stranger?"

"Child, I think that of all the possibilities your brothers envisioned, the existence of each other was not among them. They, each, are troubled. Each feel threatened. You must allow them to choose their own paths, Young Dot. Their futures must be of their own design - not yours. You must allow this, even if those paths bring pain to you. Only then will the cloud that hovers over them be lifted."

"It's not easy, Phong - what you're asking." Dot sighed. "I've lost a brother once already - I don't know if I can survive it again. Perhaps even twice..."

"I understand, Child. You are a source of strength, of comfort, to many. The weight of their suffering is heavy on you. Your instinct is to guide and protect, and it serves you well. You must support them, Dot, and love them. There is little else you can do, I fear. And to know when to do nothing is the most elusive insight of all."

"What are you saying?" Dot whispered, feeling the tears welling up again.

Phong studied her for a long moment. "Trust your heart, Dot. Accept comfort from those who offer it, and offer it to those who need. Your brothers' paths are intertwined, I feel certain of this. Allow them to find each other on their own terms. What the future holds, only the User may know. It is not our lot to presume - only to process in our own way. Do you understand, Child?"

"Not really." Dot answered with a teary smile. "But I'll try to remember."

"That is good Child, that is good..." Phong smiled. "Did you enjoy your cocoa?"

"That was awesome Bob - totally Alphanumeric! Thanks a gigabyte!"

"No problem, Enzo." Bob grinned, turning his zip board towards the diner. "You're getting pretty good at that game, you know. In a few minutes you might even be able to beat _me_!"

"You really think I'm _that_ good?" Enzo enthused.

"Who knows - maybe by your first birthday." the Guardian answered with a wry chuckle.

"D'you think there's gonna be a game soon, Bob?" Enzo asked hopefully.

"I dunno, Partner. Maybe so." Bob replied warily. "Enzo - you know I can't take you into the games unless Dot says it's OK-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know!" Enzo grumbled, skidding to a stop outside the diner. "Enzo's only a _little_ sprite - we wouldn't want him to get deleted!" the boy mocked.

"Don't do that!" Bob scolded. "Dot's only doing this because she cares about you, you know. Besides - maybe she's right. Games are pretty dangerous places, Enzo..."

"Oh no! Don't tell me you're on _her_ side now!" the youngster wailed.

"I'm not on _anybody's_ side!" Bob sighed. "Just try not to be so hard on your sister. She's had it pretty rough, you know?"

"Fine!" the boy relented. "Aren't you coming inside?"

"Naw - I've got some business at the Principal Office. Life isn't all jetball and circuit racing, y'know. See you later."

"Bye, Bob." Enzo sighed, watching the Guardian slowly disappear into the distance. Shoulders hunched, he slowly trudged through the double doors and into the diner.

"There ya go, Sweetie. I think this oughtta prevent any repeat of that business last cycle."

"That is good, Mouse." Phong nodded. "Games are dangerous enough at normal speed..."

"They ain't come up with a game yet that Bob can't handle, Sugar!" Mouse laughed. "Still, a few more handles here, a minor adjustment to the FAT tables - The Mouse is very good at what she does, Phong."

"Indeed. It occurs to me, Child, that everything we do from now on will be of great interest to those that follow us. There are no read me files about system reboots..."

"Well, there will be now, If I know my Phong!" the Hacker grinned. "Why, if it ain't ever'body's favorite Guardian! Earn any father o' the year points this mornin', Sweetie?"

"Mouse." Bob smiled. "Always a pleasure. I trust you've taken steps to make my job easier?"

"You know I have, Handsome! Can't have anything happenin' to you, Bob. I think Mainframe'd just about go to pieces..."

"Uh - thanks." Bob chuckled. "Phong, I was wondering if we could have a chat about the... P.I.D. encryption protocols?"

"Indeed?" the old sprite mused. "P.I.D. protocols you say..."

"Oooh. Sounds pretty important." Mouse arched an eyebrow. "No need to drop a data bomb on my head, Guardian - I was leavin' anyways. I got a date!"

"A date?" Bob grinned. "Don't tell me you've gone all soft on us, Mouse! Anyone I know?"

"Could be, Sweetie - we run in the same circles!" Mouse replied with a shrug. "See ya 'round, Sugar."

"A most interesting young lady." Phong reflected, watching the hacker's departing back.

"That she is, Phong. So - did you have a few nanos?"

"Oh! Yes, indeed, Guardian - the encryption protocols, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, well..." the Guardian mumbled awkwardly. "That wasn't actually what I wanted to talk to you about..."

"Indeed?" Phong nodded, adjusting his glasses. "I would not have guessed, Bob. What can I help you with?"

The Guardian lithely sprang onto the console and sat, legs dangling. "It's Dot, actually. And Enzo. I'm kinda off-lined about the whole thing."

"How so, Young Guardian?"

"Well... I don't know if you noticed, Phong, but Dot and I, well - we've kinda taken things to another level - you know, interface-wise."

"Really? I had absolutely no idea!" Phong gasped, with a miniscule shake of the head.

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you." Bob said dryly. "Anyways - Dot and I - we're kind of... _seeing_ each other now - at least I _think_ we are... And she seems to disapprove of the way I'm handling things with Enzo..."

"I see." the old sprite murmured, bridging his fingers thoughtfully.

"It's just - I feel like things are different now. I feel like what happens to him is - well... _my_ responsibility too. I mean, Enzo's always meant a gigabyte to me, Phong - I love the little guy. But things are just - different. I'm having a hard time trying to file and sort this whole thing. What do you think I should do?"

"That is a most complex question, Guardian." Phong sighed. "Perhaps you need to focus more on the source of your concern?"

"Focus? Well..." Bob paused. "I don't think she wants him to go into the games anymore, Phong. I think she's worried that I'm trying to take Enzo away from her..."

"_Are_ you?"

"Of course not!" the Guardian replied indignantly. "It's just - Enzo really likes me, Phong. He always wants to do stuff with me - jetball, circuit racing. And the games - especially the games. Especially now that Matrix is here... And I have a hard time saying no to him."

"Indeed, Child. He is a most persuasive little sprite."

"It's not just that, Phong." Bob sighed. "I _want_ to take him into the games. It's what he wants to do, and it's not right that she won't let him go if he wants to. But he _is_ her brother. Maybe it's not my place to get involved."

"Do you care for the child, Bob?"

"Of course I do! A lot!"

"And you care for Dot, of course?"

"Very much." Bob sighed.

"Than it would appear that you are already very much involved." Phong reflected, whirring about the room contemplatively. "Some things they cannot teach you at the Academy... The operations of a single sprite can be far more complex than the very supercomputer itself, can they not?"

"Phong?"

"My Son - it is the role of every sprite to determine their own path. This is why I cannot tell you what to do in this case. You must decide what you feel is right and act upon it."

"But Phong-"

"Please, Child - I have not finished yet." the old sprite sighed. "The mere fact that you have come to me is most telling. You are a part of this equation, Bob - this you cannot change. The problem cannot be solved by avoidance. Do not run away from your feelings - embrace them. Share them with the others. I believe you will find the common ground you seek."

"Share - my feelings?" the Guardian said dubiously. "I'm not sure I know what you mean..."

"Perhaps not, Young Guardian. Perhaps not." Phong said softly. "I can only tell you that it is this which has caused your conflict - the feelings that you have carried with you for many seconds, which now demand to be explored. Only by being honest with yourself may you be honest with others, Bob. Remember that."

"If you say so..." Bob nodded. "I'll try - even if I don't know exactly what you mean."

"No one ever does, My Son." the old sprite smiled sagely. "No one ever does..."

"Please, get your feet of ze table, Young Master!" Cecil tittered in annoyance at the little sprite who was currently adorning one of the booths at Dot's Diner with his pedal extremities. "It is most unsanitary!"

"OK, OK..." the youngster grumbled, bouncing lithely to his feet. "I'm bored, Cecil! Maybe I'll go cook something..."

"No!" the server interrupted hastily, throwing up his white-gloved hands as if thwarting off a blow. "I mean - surely zere are more important things which demand your valuable time?"

"Like what?' Enzo demanded.

"Perhaps _Bob_ requires some assistance in whatever he is undertaking?" Cecil asked hopefully.

"Aw, Bob's got some boring business at the Principal Office. And Dot's off somewhere with Captain Capacitor. This is totally basic!"

"Wait at ze bar!" Cecil snapped at a group of binomes as they strode through the door. "Thank you so much... Now where was I? Ah yes. Why don't you go play with infernal - er, delightful - dog of yours?"

"I dunno where Frisket is. I haven't seen him since I got back from jetball." Enzo pouted.

"A shame." Cecil mumbled.

With a sigh, the boy sat down at the bar and put his chin in his hands. "I dunno where Ray is, either - prob'ly off kissing Mouse somewhere. I think I'll make some binary brownies. I saw Dot bake some once..."

"Sacre Bleu!" Cecil sighed. He turned, and a wide grin appeared on his face as he saw a familiar appliance jauntily enter the diner. "Ah, Michael! 'Ow lovely to see you again - perhaps you would like to join our young friend?"

The little television bounced onto a stool next to Enzo at the bar. The boy half lifted his head. "Only in theatres... He's scarier than Nulzilla... more dangerous than Megabyte... it's Destructo-Boy! This time, he's bored..."

"Entertain him!" Cecil whispered urgently in Mike's ear.

Enzo's attention was already beginning to drift off. "Feelin' a little lonely?" the TV began in a sultry voice. "Getting bored with everyone in your program group? Well, pick up that modem and call Spriteline now! Spriteline - the hottest binomes and subroutines in Mainframe-"

"Nnng!" Cecil hissed, drawing a finger across his absent throat. "B, S & P!" he whispered urgently.

A large purple null appeared on Mike's screen. "He loves you - you love he - we're offline as we can be..."

"Yuck! Low density!" Enzo spat. The boy grabbed his zip board and headed for the exit. Enough was enough. Mike put on a wounded frown.

"On ze house!" Cecil grinned, sliding a tall, cool energy shake in front of the television. 

"This is totally basic!" Enzo grumbled, turning his zip board and heading off down Baudway. "Everybody's so deleted busy all of a sudden..." The boy felt frustration welling up inside him. Why did everybody have to treat him like such a _kid_ all the time? He could help them, if they'd only give him a chance!

The boy hovered for a moment, considering his options. Bob seemed like the only one who wasn't mad at him, so Enzo didn't want to bother him - especially if he was doing stuff with Phong. Ray was fun, but Enzo had absolutely no idea where he was. Dot and Gavin were off somewhere talking about profits, and spreadsheets - how boring was _that_? Leave it to Dot to delete all the fun out of a pirate... He couldn't go back to the diner - that was completely low-density!

That only left one option. With a sigh, Enzo headed off towards Bob's place.

"Maybe we could play some jetball. We haven't done that since we got back. You love that-"

"Nah - kid's stuff."

"Well, you're always complaining about how uncomfortable Bob's spare docking bay is - we could go look for our own place - get out of his garage..." AndrAIa offered, scratching Frisket's ears. The dog had quietly stationed himself at Bob's apartment that morning.

"We haven't got any credits - remember? I'll have to borrow some from Dot before we can afford to move anywhere."

AndrAIa sighed. "D'you want to go down to the Principal Office and see if Phong needs any help?"

"What help could _I_ possibly be to Phong?" Matrix grumbled.

"Oh, I dunno - maybe he's writing a file on how to act like a basic little kid?"

"I liked you better before you thought you were funny!" the bearded sprite muttered.

"C'mon Matrix - it's a beautiful cycle!" AndrAIa yelled, throwing open the door to Bob's apartment and letting the clear, warm air inside. "Do you just want to sit around here all day and do nothing?"

"You catch on fast!" the big youth chuckled.

With a groan of exasperation, the game sprite threw herself down on the sofa next to Matrix. "I never thought I'd say it - it was more fun out there, in the games. It was better in the web! I've never seen you like this. What is it?"

"Maybe I just wanna be left alone - did that ever occur to you?" Matrix snarled.

"That might be arranged, if you keep this up." the young woman said softly.

"Well, alphanumeric!"

7

"Please, Matrix - I don't want to do this anymore." AndrAIa moaned. "Maybe we should go talk to Phong - he's always helped you before, hasn't he? Maybe he can help you figure out what's wrong..."

"I don't need _Phong_ to figure out what's wrong!" Matrix snapped. "I _know_ what's wrong! Bob doesn't respect me - he thinks I'm totally basic! He thinks I can't reason my way through a game - all I know is brute force. And he's right! I'm still the same basic, single-sided little sprite I was then!"

"Enzo-"

"You want more? All right - my sister's afraid of me. She doesn't know what to say to me - she looks at me like I'm gonna system crash any nano. She doesn't even think I'm really her brother..."

"Matrix, that's spam and you know it! Dot loves you..."

"Sure she does." Matrix sighed. "But she doesn't have any place for me in her life. No one here does, AndrAIa - I'm a stranger to these people. The only other sprite here who really knows me is Ray - and I don't even _like_ him!" The youth ran a massive hand across his face. "Why do you even stay with me?"

"Because I love you." she answered grimly. "Believe me, there haven't been any other reasons lately..."

"I love you too..." Matrix whispered wearily. "You know I do. Don't ever leave me - promise!"

"I promise." the game sprite sighed. "Let's be honest - all this stuff about Bob, about Dot, everything else - it's all really about Enzo, isn't it?"

Enzo tried to work himself into a positive frame of processing as he approached the Kits District. At some point in the last few cycles he's accepted that Matrix and he were really the same sprite. Sometimes the thought horrified him - the big sprite seemed so basic, so boring - so _mean_.

Still, at other times the boy found himself getting excited about the prospect. He wasn't going to be a scrawny little sprite that everyone ignored forever - Matrix was the proof! He was going to be a big, strong Guardian, for real! Well, if Dot let him. He'd survived being lost in the web - even managed to find Bob. That was pretty pixelacious, Enzo had to admit. The big ugly guy couldn't be totally basic if he'd pulled that off...

If only Matrix wasn't so mean, though - especially to _him_. There were so many things Enzo wanted to ask him, to talk about. Maybe if Enzo was just a little nicer Matrix would make time for him, talk to him. And that AndrAIa was totally cool. Enzo had found himself thinking about her at the weirdest times, and for no good reason. If _she_ liked Matrix he couldn't be all bad...

Enzo hopped off of his zip board and stowed it. Bob's door was open - that meant Matrix and AndrAIa must be inside. The boy approached the open door, then stopped. His kid radar had picked up a signal - someone in the apartment had said his name. Feeling slightly guilty, the little sprite crouched next to the door to listen.

"Oh come on, AndrAIa - don't start _that_ again, please..."

"Well - I'm right aren't I? Isn't that what you're all off-lined about?" the game sprite insisted. Frisket looked towards the door and whined softly.

"What if I am?" the big sprite snarled. "Why shouldn't I be? How would you like it if you showed up and had to face your worst nightmare - every day? I thought I'd put all that behind me, AndrAIa - I thought I put _him_ behind me!"

"Why does he bother you so much? I loved you then, Matrix - I thought you were sweet, and funny, and brave. I still do."

"Can't you see, AndrAIa? Can't you see how he makes a fool of himself, gets in the way, always bothering everybody..."

"He's not always bothering anybody!" AndrAIa sighed. "The only one he bothers is you."

"I worked so hard, AndrAIa..." Matrix hissed. "I waited so long, dreamed about finding Mainframe every cycle - dreamed about coming home. I finally make it - and what happens? _He_ shows up and ruins it! I could have dealt with the rest of it, but why did _he_ have to show up?"

"What was that?" AndrAIa frowned, sitting up. Frisket raised his head and barked.

"What was what?"

"I thought I heard something, outside..." the game sprite whispered, bouncing to her feet and walking over to the door. She looked around quickly and spotted a small shape on a zip board disappearing in the distance. "Enzo - Wait!"

"Oh, no!" Matrix moaned. "Was he there the whole time?"

"I don't know." the girl snapped, grabbing her zip board. "What do you care?"

"AndrAIa-"

"Just shut up!" she called back over her shoulder, already hot in pursuit of the youngster. "And _grow_ up while you're at it!"

"AndrAIa!" the bearded sprite shouted after her. Frisket barked furiously and took off after the game sprite. "About time!" Matrix growled, kicking the door shut behind them.

Enzo didn't much care where he was going, just so long as it was as far away from Matrix as possible. The boy furiously blinked back tears of anger, wishing fervently that he were big enough to show the ugly hulk just what he could do with his diagnostics...

It wasn't true - it _couldn't_ be true! He wasn't in everybody's way, always ruining things! Sometimes he just got a little excited, that's all. Matrix was the one who ruined things, not him! _He_ was ruining everything - ruining the games. Ruining them for Enzo....

The boy ducked into an alley between two drive bays and angrily tossed his zip board against a recycle bin, scattering the files inside noisily. He flopped down against a wall and felt the tears starting to flow freely, even as he tried to wish them away.

AndrAIa hovered for a moment, surveying the area. She'd lost sight of Enzo a nano earlier - the kid was a whiz on a zip board! Where would he have gone - back to the diner, maybe? It wasn't his style - he'd be sulking somewhere, if she knew him as well as she thought she did...

There was a clatter from off to her right, and the game sprite followed the sound to a small alleyway. Enzo was there, leaning back against a building and hiding his face in his hands. "So there you are..." she said softly.

"Go away." the boy answered, burying his face farther in his hands. She couldn't see him like this - she just couldn't! To his horror, the youngster heard the game sprite sit next to him and felt her hand on his shoulder.

"So - I guess you heard what Matrix said, huh?" AndrAIa asked gently.

Enzo desperately willed himself to stop crying. "What - I d-didn't hear anything." he managed in a hoarse croak.

"C'mon - don't hide." she prodded, gently squeezing his hand. "It's all right - I've cried lots of times. Sometimes - "

"Just go away!" the youngster spat, uncovering his face but looking away from AndrAIa. "I don't need you to be nice to me - I'm not some basic little kid..."

"I know you're not." she nodded. "Sometimes it's nice just to talk, though. Isn't it?" The boy said nothing, and both sprites sat in silence for a moment. Frisket appeared and immediately stationed himself next to Enzo, messily rolling his tongue over the boy's already wet face.

"Get away, Frisket!" Enzo growled, not sounding as thought he meant it.

"I guess Frisket wants you to talk, too." AndrAIa grinned. "Don't ya, Boy?"

Enzo sniffled a few times, still refusing to look at the game sprite. "Why's he have to be so mean?" he snarled after a moment. "Why can't he just _talk_ to me? What's his problem?"

"That's a tough question." AndrAIa sighed. "He's had it pretty hard, Enzo. He's not really used to being around people. He just needs to grow up a little..."

"It's true - isn't it?" the boy sniffed. "Nobody wants me around! I'm just the basic little kid who can't do anything right..."

"Bob doesn't think so." AndrAIa interrupted, brushing a tear off Enzo's cheek gently. "He loves having you around. Dot doesn't think so. And neither do I. I think you're funny, and clever. And brave. Just like I always thought those things about you. You were always my hero." she smiled.

The youngster looked at her for a moment, bewilderment in his eyes. "_He_ - thinks so though - doesn't he?"

"Oh, Enzo... When Matrix says those things, he's not really mad at you. He's mad at himself."

"What's the difference?"

"I'm not even sure." the game sprite sighed. "Enzo, I know it hurts - but they're just words. I remember once you almost let someone beat you with words - but you fought back. You never gave up. The Enzo I know never gives up - not when he knows he's right." AndrAIa smiled down at the youngster. "That's why I love you so much."

Enzo said nothing for a moment, then grabbed his zip board and stood. He gingerly stepped around AndrAIa and headed for the street, Frisket a step behind. "Where are you going?"

"I just wanna be alone." the little sprite said softly. He hopped on his board and started away.

"Enzo - wait!" AndrAIa, called, standing. "You don't have to-"

"I'm fine! I just wanna be alone." the boy shouted irritably. AndrAIa considered following him again, but instead stood, watching the small figure slowly disappear, Frisket gamely striding along behind him. After a moment, he was gone.

"Hello, Boys." Dot called, walking into the diner, Gavin Capacitor limping along beside her.

"Dot. Capacitor." Bob grinned. "Did you two have a productive discussion?"

"Yes, very productive. I think it will prove to be quite profitable for the Captain and myself..."

"Any discussion with Dot always turns to profitability before long." Bob winked at the pirate. "But then, I guess you've figured that out by now."

"Watch your smart mouth!" Dot reprimanded half-heartedly. "You'll never understand, Bob - business is so comforting, so uncomplicated - it behaves the same all the time..."

The pirate laughed. "Aye, Lad - and it always seems to follow Miss Matrix' orders! A finer processor for profiteering I've never accessed..."

Dot wearily positioned herself at the bar next to Bob. "What's the matter?" the Guardian frowned, grabbing her hand. "You seem kinda low-res today."

"I'm fine." the woman smiled. "Just a little overwhelmed with everything that's going on. Where's Enzo?"

"Which one?"

"The little one!" 

"I dunno - I dropped him here after we played jetball." the Guardian replied. "I was over at the Principal Office. Cecil?"

"Yes Monsieur?" the served asked stiffly, rolling across the diner to the bar.

"Have you seen Enzo?" Dot queried.

"Yes Ma'am - but not for a few milliseconds. He left after tiring of watching Mike the Television, I believe."

"That quickly, huh? Guess he wasn't here long..." Bob chuckled. "What's the matter Dot? I'm sure he's fine. He just got bored or something."

"Of course." Dot sighed. "I just wanted to talk to him about something, but I guess it can wait..."

"AndrAIa - how lovely to see you, My Child. This is my lucky cycle - I have never received so many visitors to my sanctum!"

"Huh?" the game sprite frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Never mind Child, it is of no importance." the old sprite replied, waving a hand dismissively as he whirred across the room to greet the girl. "Please, sit down. What may I help you with - would you like some cocoa, perhaps?"

"No - no thanks." she smiled, sitting. "I was actually hoping to ask your advice about something."

"Indeed, My Child." Phong chuckled. "You know, there was a time when I required all of my guests to defeat me in a game of skill before I would advise them. If this traffic keeps up I may have to resume the practice... In any case, I would be more than happy to try to ease your burdens, Young AndrAIa. It seems only a nano ago that you were just a small sprite - as small as Enzo is now..."

"Seems a lot longer than that to me!" the game sprite sighed. "Actually, it was Enzo I wanted to talk to you about."

"Is that so, Child? Which one?"

"Both, actually."

"Indeed." Phong mused. "That is a subject of much discussion lately, it seems. In what way may I help you, specifically?"

"Well... They had a kind of fight today, Phong. I guess it wasn't really a fight - Enzo - Little Enzo - overheard something he shouldn't have. Matrix was upset - he's always upset lately - and he said some pretty nasty things..."

"Oh dear." Phong sighed. "The feelings of the young are so easily bruised, are they not? Was Enzo very upset?"

"Yes." AndrAIa frowned. "And I don't blame him, Phong. He's trying to get to know Matrix, and Matrix - well, he doesn't even want to be around Little Enzo. He says it makes him uncomfortable. And you know how Enzo is - he always wants to be involved, he wants everyone to like him. All that would hurt him enough-"

"If it weren't his older self that was rejecting him." Phong finished. "This is a most difficult problem, I'm afraid. I have spent many milliseconds processing it-"

"You have?" the girl asked, surprised.

"Indeed, Child. I feared that some of these difficulties would arise when Young Enzo arrived, but I had not fully realized the depth of Matrix' alienation from himself. There are no easy solutions, I am afraid. Each of them must come to accept the other, on their own terms. I have no experience with this particular problem, so I am operating on pure guesswork..."

"But in the meanwhile, Matrix is driving me offline!" AndrAIa exclaimed. "And I'm really worried about Little Enzo - I know how sensitive he is - I think Matrix really hurt him..."

"Where is the boy now?"

"I'm not sure." AndrAIa sighed. "I talked to him for a nano, but he said he wanted to be alone and he took off. He'll be all right - Frisket was with him..."

"Ah, pride." Phong frowned. "It is a most powerful force, Child - and in the male it often drives one to seek solace in solitude. I fear this is part of the problem - neither of our two Enzos feels as if they can ever really be alone anymore."

A claxon filled the air. "What's wrong?" AndrAIa shouted.

"I am not certain, Child!" Phong answered. "Come, we must get to central command at once!"

"She's worried for her brother, Guardian - both of 'em'!" Capacitor winked at Bob as he took a sip of his rum and java. "Ain't been shipshape all cycle, have ye Lass?"

"I'm fine!" Dot protested. 

Bob sipped his drink and coughed guiltily. "Dot, I'm sorry if - if I caused any problems with you and Enzo. I didn't mean-"

"Bob!" A vidwindow opened and Phong's face, clearly agitated, peered out at them. AndrAIa was visible over his shoulder, bent over the console.

"What's up, Phong?" the Guardian replied, bouncing to his feet.

"A tear has opened up - a big one!" the old sprite fretted. "Downloading scans now!" A string of text began to flash quickly across the vidwindow.

"Hmmm." Bob whispered, squinting in concentration. Gavin and Dot crowded in behind him. "A class six - big one too!"

"Guardian, if there are any residual system instabilities lingering from the reboot-"

"I know, Phong." Bob nodded grimly. "This is bad - _very_ bad. And it's in sector nine-nine!"

"That's all the way at the edge of the city!" Dot exclaimed. "We'd better hurry!"

"We're on our way, Phong!" Bob shouted.

"I'll meet you there!" AndrAIa called.

"Wait!" Dot protested. "What about Enzo? Have you seen him, AndrAIa?"

"Don't worry, he's fine." the game sprite replied. "I've got it under control. See you in sector nine-nine!"

"Right." Bob nodded, closing the vidwindow. Quickly, he opened another. "Mouse! Mouse, you home?"

There was emptiness in the vidwindow for a moment, then Mouse's face appeared, Ray right behind her. The surfer's cheek was smeared with lipstick. "This better be important, Sweetie!"

"It is!" Bob answered, cursing the fact that he didn't have the time to exploit the opportunity before him. "We've got trouble - major tear in sector nine-nine. Class six. I'll need your help - both of you!"

"We're on it, Sugar!" Mouse nodded grimly, wiping her mouth on her sleeve. "Nine-nine? All the way out there, huh? Perfect... See you there, Bob!"

"Chin up, Mate - no worries!" Ray added. The window closed.

"Let's get out there! Better take my car..."

"Gavin, will you wait here - in case Enzo comes back?" Dot grasped the pirate's good hand. "Let him know where we are, tell him not to worry!"

"Of course, Miss Matrix." the pirate bowed. "Go on now and take care of things - just like ye always do." Dot gave him a quick smile and followed Bob out the door. With a sputter and a cloud of smoke, they were gone.

"Matrix! Matrix, you there?"

"Yeah yeah, don't have a system crash!" the big sprite answered the vidwindow at last. "What's up?"

"Trouble. There's a major tear in sector nine-nine. I'm meeting Bob there now."

"So? What do you want me for - I'm no expert on tears!"

"Don't worry, it's under control!" she sighed. "We don't know where Enzo is - he ran off. He was pretty upset. You'll need to go find him!"

"Aw, no!" the bearded sprite protested. "I'm sure he's-"

"Matrix, we don't have time for this now!" the game sprite snapped. "I told Dot I'd make sure Enzo was all right. Now go find him!"

"All right, I'm going! Just go deal with the tear - I'll deal with Enzo."

"Be nice!" the girl warned menacingly. The window closed.

"I'm always nice!" Matrix grumbled, reaching for his zip board. "I think I have a pretty good idea where I might be hiding..."

Enzo hopped off of his board and quietly approached the rickety old building under the big "Pearson's Data Dump" sign. Good - it was dark inside, the old man must have gone for the cycle. Enzo kinda liked the weird old binome in a way, but he could be very strange sometimes - and very defensive about his property. Besides, the boy just wanted to be alone...

Frisket caught up with the youngster and half tackled him from behind, with a whimper. "Quiet, Frisket!" Enzo hissed. "The old guy might be hanging around somewhere..." The red canine looked at him quizzically.

Taking a last peek though the window of the office, Enzo satisfied himself that Pearson was indeed absent. He effortlessly climbed over the binary fence that guarded the outer junkyard, unlatching the gate and swinging it open a hair, allowing the panting Frisket to follow him inside.

The boy looked around. On happier cycles he loved the explore the place - there were interesting gizmos and gadgets everywhere to be investigated. Today, though, he just wanted to sit in the dark and shut the world out - and the old junkyard had a safe, comforting feel to him.

The boy nestled down next to a box of 8086 chips and hugged his arms tightly around himself. His eyes were red, and burned from crying. Enzo hated to cry - all it did was show the world what a low-density little sprite he was. Why did he have to cry - especially in front of AndrAIa? Now she knew he was just a basic little sprite...

Thinking about that threatened to bring more tears, so Enzo willfully banished the thought from his mind. Instead, he thought of Matrix - that made him mad. It felt better to be mad right now than to think about AndrAIa... "Stupid jerk!" the boy growled, hands forming into fists. He couldn't even picture that ugly face without wanting to smash it. But he couldn't, of course - he was just a little sprite, after all.

"Why did he have to come to Mainframe?" the youngster grumbled. "Everything was fine - now I can't even go into the games, all because of him." Frisket whimpered quizzically. "But that's not right - is it? I wouldn't _be_ here, if he hadn't come back. I wouldn't even exist! Mainframe would be deleted." The thought made the little sprite even angrier, and he kicked out, sending a CGA card clattering away. "Basic, this is totally basic..."

"Mouse, can you see anything?"

"Negatory, Guardian." the hacker replied through the window. "Are you sure these were the coordinates Phong downloaded?"

"I'm positive." Bob frowned at Dot, who shrugged back at him from the passenger seat of the red convertible. "Keep searching - We'll catch you up in a nano."

"Somethin' ain't right, Mate." Ray's voice chimed in. "When ya spent as much time in the net as I have, ya get a sense for tears - almost like ya can smell 'em. If there was a class six anywhere in this sector I'd know it."

"Well, Phong doesn't make mistakes." Bob answered. "See you in a nano." The Guardian closed the window and turned to Dot. "I don't get it - Ray's right. We're close enough that we should be able to see it by now."

Matrix slowly approached the old junkyard, frowning. It was dark, and quiet - and quiet usually didn't mix with Enzo. He ought to know. Still, he also ought to know where the boy would retreat to. The bearded sprite tried the gate, and, finding it unlatched, smiled a tight smile to himself. "Gotcha!" he whispered.

The big youth heard Frisket panting in the darkness even before his eye picked up the energy readings from the dog and the boy. "Thought I might find you here." he said aloud.

"Go away." the boy replied simply, not raising his head.

"I didn't want to come here - Dot was worried about you, that's all. You-"

"Well, I sure didn't ask you to bother me, did I Megabutt?" Enzo snarled. "So just leave me alone!"

"Temper, temper!" Matrix chuckled.

"You win, OK?" the boy snapped, still refusing to look at his older self. "You didn't want anything to do with me, so I'll just stay out of your way. That's what you want, isn't it?"

"Sounds good to me!" the big youth replied curtly.

"Lemme just ask you one thing." Enzo said softly, finally lifting his gaze. "Why do you hate me? What did I ever do to you?"

Matrix felt seconds of pent up frustration welling up inside him, breaking through, at last, his efforts to quell them - and the nano of sympathy he felt at the sight of Enzo's upturned face. "You... you ruined my life!" he snarled through gritted teeth. "Is that enough?"

"You must be as stupid as you look!" Enzo laughed bitterly. "I don't even know you!"

"You don't see it, do you?" Matrix growled, all semblance of control slipping away. "Everyone was counting on you - and you let them down! You failed Bob, you failed Dot - you failed Mainframe! And _I_ paid the price! I lost my family, my home. I had to spend my life trying to make up for what you did! And just when I thought I could get past it, _you_ showed up to remind me!"

"No!" Enzo bellowed tearfully. "That's not fair! I didn't do any of that!" Frisket lifted his muzzle and began to howl furiously.

"You were weak, pathetic! You-"

"No, no, no! That's not true! Just end file!" Enzo wailed. "It was _you_ that did all that! _You_ were the one that lost the game, not me!" The youngster panted heavily, marshalling his strength. "I'm not even really Enzo anymore! I'm not even real! You stole my life!"

"This - this is stupid!" Matrix snarled halfheartedly, turning away from the boy. "What's the point even talking to you..." The youth stumbled towards the fence, Enzo's sobs plainly audible behind him.

"Ya see? I _told_ ya, Mate - no tear!" Tracer frowned. "Somethin' ain't right here..."

"I just don't understand it!" Bob scratched his head. "Phong - this is Bob, we're in sector nine-nine. There's no sign of a tear of any kind, much less a class six. What in the net's going on?"

"I do not know, Bob." the old sprite answered quizzically through the window. "My readings were most definitive... Perhaps it has closed itself?"

"I ain't never heard of a tear closin' by itself, Sugar!" Mouse protested. "Leastways without gettin' a little help along the way."

"I haven't either, Phong." Dot added nervously. "It doesn't seem possible..."

"We are living in an hour of wonders, My Children." Phong shrugged. "Many things may be possible after a reboot that we thought impossible. We do not have the benefit of a beta version to guide us through this."

"Could it be a - trap- of some kind?" AndrAIa asked. "Could Daemon have something to do with this?"

"It's possible..." Bob allowed. "But I doubt it. Doesn't make any sense. Why open a tear and then close it? If she wanted to enter Mainframe, she'd come through the front door."

"Maybe Hex - some kind of gag?" Dot wondered. "A joke?"

"Doesn't seem like her style." Bob frowned. "It's-" A familiar voice interrupted the Guardian.

_"WARNING - INCOMING GAME_

WARNING - INCOMING GAME."

"Great. Just great." Matrix sighed. 

Enzo raised his head and wiped his eyes, scanning the sky. "Look! It's coming down right on top of us!"

"Perfect." the big youth growled. "Get away from here, Enzo - I'll handle this."

"Make me!" the boy spat derisively.

"It's not the time for this, Boy! I've got serious business to attend to! Just backspace out of here - games are no place for a little sprite. You'll just get in my way!"

"Get used to it!" Enzo sneered. "If you go, I go!"

"Bob, the game cube is dropping in sector one-zero." Phong warned. "You must hurry!"

"One zero?" Bob gasped. "Old Man Pearson's place. Naturally - the opposite end of the city! Come on!" the Guardian jumped into his car, pulling Dot in next to him. He engaged the ignition, but the convertible responded only with a strained sputter of defiance. "Cursors! What a time for engine trouble!"

"Forget it! Zip boards! Come on!" Dot cried, leaping over the door and zipping off in one motion. The others followed close behind. "How much time do we have, Phong?"

"Only a few nanos, Child!" the old sprite fretted, his face looming over them in the vidwindow. "You must make haste!"

"We're hasting!" Bob panted. "What're the odds, we're at the very edge of town and the game cube drops at the opposite edge? If there's no one in that game when the cube drops-"

"There _is_ someone." Phong said softly. "According to my readings, Matrix is there-"

"He'll take care of things if we don't make it!" AndrAIa shouted confidently.

"_And_ Enzo." Phong finished.

"Enzo?" Dot gasped. "No! It's too dangerous!"

Don't worry!" Bob yelled, watching the purple cube descend. "We're going to make it!"

Two figures watched interestedly from atop the Principal Office as the cube descended. They turned to watch the approaching quintet on their zip boards. "They aren't going to make it!" Hack exclaimed.

"No - they are definitely not going to make it." Slash added. "Definitely not..."

"Nope - definitely." Hack agreed. "I speak from experience here. I bet Bob's gonna be mad."

"Yeah, mad. Did you touch me?"

"No, I did not. There was no touching."

"I thought I felt you touching..."

"Fine, fine! Just stay out of my way, Little Boy!"

"I don't take orders from you!" Enzo grinned. "I can take care of myself, y'know! You shoulda seen me win the Olympics - _I_ was great!"

"_You_ were lucky - I was there!" Matrix snarled, looking up as the cube fell, now a mere few nanos away. "Just don't get in the way and let me take care of business."

"Bob!" Dot yelled. "We're too late!"

The Guardian skidded to a halt. "Damn! This is _not_ good! Missing a game cube in my home system - I must really be slipping!"

"It ain't your fault, Honey." Mouse sighed. "One if a gigabyte chance, that's all. Us all the way out in sector nine-nine, just when the game came down in sector one-zero. Nothin' you could do about it."

"Don't worry - Matrix and I won more our than share of games." AndrAIa said confidently. "Just lucky he happened to be in that sector."

"Yeah - lucky..." Mouse mused.

Dot stood silently, watching the shimmering cube and wringing her hands. Bob slid next to her and gingerly slipped an arm around her shoulder, joining her in her vigil. "Not again." she whispered. "It can't possibly happen again..."

Enzo felt a rush of excitement as the purple cube washed over his body. There was a thrill when the momentary disorientation hit, the buzz ran though him. Nothing could compare to it - not jetball, not circuit racing, nothing. Not even Matrix could spoil this for him.

The blindness and disorientation faded, and the surroundings began to take shape. The first sensation Enzo felt was being indoors - in a vast room, fairly dark, an acrid smell in the air. The place had a menacing feel about it.

Matrix felt the hairs on his neck stand on end. His stomach began to churn, and he fought down a rising panic which threatened to overcome his reason. The room began to take shape, to clarify. "No - it can't be! It's not possible..."

"Alphanumeric!" Enzo gasped. The two spites stood in a large bowl - an arena. There was sense of an audience in the darkness, but they were beyond his field of vision. A series of large images on windows formed a circle around the arena - images of heroes and gladiators, armed for battle. A driving, electrical sounding music began to fill the room.

"Noooo!" Matrix screamed. Enzo looked up at him in alarm. "It can't be! It can't!"

One by one, the images surrounding the arena were illuminated, then darkened. Finally, the light fell upon one image, a fearsome looking beast, two horns crowning its cruel head.

"No!" Matrix hissed, burying his face in his hands. "Why did it have to be this one?"

"What's the matter?" Enzo asked quizzically. "The big, tough sprite afraid of a game? I can't believe it!"

"You little fool!" Matrix snarled. "You don't understand... Now listen Enzo - stay clear! Under no circumstances are you to reboot!"

"Why?" the boy hissed. "It's a game, isn't it? How am I supposed to-"

"No!" Matrix screamed. "You don't understand! Dammit Enzo - this is it! This is the one!"

"What?" Enzo frowned, beginning to feel a little alarmed by Matrix' reactions. The horned beast had arrived on the floor of the arena, and was doing battle with a golden-haired warrior.

"You little idiot! This is the game - this is the one you lost! _I_ lost... _We_ lost!" the bearded sprite hissed. "I'm _serious_ - you can't beat this guy! I should know, I was older than you when - when..."

"This is it - the same game?" Enzo whispered, even his boundless enthusiasm momentarily dampening.

"Yes! Just take Frisket and stay out of the way, Enzo - let me handle this. No arguments - you understand me?" he shouted.

"Yeah, whatever!" the boy replied, indignation welling up inside him again as his fear faded. In the ring, Zaytan was disposing of his first opponent in short order. Enzo turned to watch. "How does this work, anyways?"

"He chooses his opponent." Matrix answered grimly. "Best of three falls. If he defeats five opponents without losing, he wins and we're nullified."

"But - that's not fair!" Enzo protested. "We have to fight him one at a time - and he gets to choose the opponent?"

"_We_ don't do anything!" Matrix said. "I told you - you can't beat him. I'll handle this - I just have to make sure he chooses me..."

Enzo looked on as the beast moved in for the kill. His massive claw closed on the cranium of his first opponent with a sickening crunch. "Yuck!" the boy gasped.

"One down..." Matrix sighed grimly. The big sprite desperately tried to fight down the panic that swirled in his gut and concentrate on the task at hand. The driving music started anew, and the ring of images began to illuminate again, one by one - save for the golden haired hero, who was dark. 

"This is it! Come on, come on..." Matrix waited until the dancing light illuminated the figure of a burly hero, then tapped his icon. "Reboot!" The young man, now clad in furs and a horned helmet, held a fearsome looking hammer in a massive hand and stood behind the image of the massive warrior. The bearded sprite's window remained suffused with light for a nano, then was dark, the light settling on a wing-footed archer. "Cursors - missed!"

"What now?" Enzo gasped excitedly.

"He wins another round, no doubt!" Matrix growled. 

"Just like that?" Enzo said. "This is totally basic! We don't stand a chance!"

"I don't believe in-" Matrix began. "I don't know what to believe..."

"They'll be all right, Honey. Don't you worry." Mouse grinned.

"Yeah, she's right Dot." AndrAIa agreed. "Matrix won't let anything happen to Enzo."

"_I_ should be in there - making sure nothing happens to _either_ of them!" Bob sighed. "'To mend and defend' my ascii..."

"One in a giga chance, Mate." Ray offered sympathetically.

Bob turned his glance on Dot, whose face was screwed up in consternation. "They're right, you know - the boys _will_ be fine. You can't get this worried every time it happens, Dot - games are a part of life. They aren't going away."

"That's easy for you to say!" the Command.com snapped. "You know what happened the last time my little brother went into a game! How do you expect me to feel?" She returned her gaze to the game cube, towering over them.

"This had to happen sooner or later, Dot." the Guardian said gently. AndrAIa, Mouse and Ray began to gently ease away, leaving the two sprites a bubble of space. "Maybe it's better that it happened now - we need to decide-"

"_We_ need to? That's a laugh! You just flaunt in and out when you feel like it! I'm there every cycle, good or bad! What's makes you think it's _your_ decision?"

The Guardian said nothing for a long moment. "Is that what you believe - really believe? Because if it is-"

"I don't know what I believe." Dot said softly.

"I'll tell you what _I_ believe." the Guardian replied. "I believe that things are different now - different than before all this happened. Before the reboot. I think what happens to Enzo is my concern, too. Both of them. I think you know that. But that doesn't really matter if you don't think so."

"Bob, I..."

"Can I say something?" AndrAIa volunteered.

"Of course, AndrAIa. You're family." Dot smiled wearily.

"Well..." the girl began. "I don't mean to be rude, but I think you're both kinda missing the point. You can't keep Enzo from doing what he wants. Believe me, I know!"

"Go on." Bob prodded.

"Well, here you are arguing about his future, about whether it's Bob's decision, or Dot's decision... Aren't you forgetting someone?"

"AndrAIa, he's just a little sprite!" Dot protested. "How can he possibly decide something like this? He doesn't understand how serious games are. He doesn't understand-"

"So _help_ him! Help him understand! That's all he ever wanted - just for you talk to him. And _listen_ to him once in a while!"

"I listen to him!" Dot asserted defensively.

"Maybe she's right." Bob mused. "Maybe we're so worried about deciding what's right for Enzo that we're pushing him away from us."

"It's easy for you, Bob. He wants to be like you."

"Maybe. Maybe he just wants to prove to himself that he can be different than his big sister - be his own sprite." Bob smiled. "Is that so terrible? Matrix turned out all right, didn't he?"

"Yes, of course, of course he did." Dot sighed, glancing at AndrAIa. "It's just so hard, Bob. I lost him once already - I don't want to lose him again!"

"If you don't let him have a say in his own future, you'll lose him for sure." AndrAIa said softly. "I know."

"Who know's what's going to happen?" Bob smiled, grabbing Dot by the shoulders gently. "Maybe he'll decide he wants to be a businesssprite, just like you. Remember the delivery service? Maybe he'll want to be a search engine, or a net technician. Who knows?" The Guardian pulled Dot close to him. "Maybe he'll decide he wants to be a Guardian. If he does, you'll just have to trust me."

"Trust you?" Dot repeated, eyes locked with the Guardian. "Trust you to keep your promises, you mean?"

"That too." Bob nodded. "Like a promise that as long as I'm around, I'll never let anything bad happen to Enzo - game or no game. Whatever he decides. A promise like that."

"That's a pretty good promise." the Command.com smiled. "I guess it must be kind of important to you, huh?"

"I take my promises pretty seriously."

Dot kissed him quickly and turned to look back at the game cube, looming mockingly over them. "You're not in there to protect him now though - are you? Either of him. And all this discussion could be for nothing...

The beast unleashed a wave of liquid fire from it's forked weapon, blasting the gryphon that was it's current opponent fiercely against the wall of the arena. Zaytan moved in for the kill.

"That's three!" Enzo fumed. "This is totally basic - he only needs two more!"

"He's not gonna get them!" Matrix sneered, turning away as the demon applied his finishing move to the winged creature. "Come on, one chance, that's all I need..."

"There's still nine left - how do we know which one he's gonna pick?" Enzo protested. "We could have two chances instead of one-"

"No!" Matrix snapped. "Don't make me waste time with this, Boy! I've already told you - stay out of the way!"

"You're not my father!" Enzo roared. "You're not even my brother! You can't tell me what to do!"

"Just be quiet!" the bearded sprite hissed, as the music began again and the User prepared to make his choice. He crouched and watched the dancing light intently.

"You're gonna get us both deleted!" Enzo scowled.

"Come on, come on..." Matrix whispered, swinging his hammer absently. "What's the matter, afraid of a little hardware? Come on..." The light danced on him for a moment, then moved on to a window depicting a small, lithe figure. "Blast it - missed again!"

The world seemed to slow down for Enzo, each nano stretching into a millisecond. He felt his legs coil under him, and sensed his hand reaching for his icon. He heard himself shout "Reboot!", heard Matrix' voice screaming his name, but he couldn't see the big sprite. For a nano, he was aware that his perception of the ring had changed, that he was now above it and watching through glass. Then his sight left him.

The youngster felt a wave of energy shoot through his body, and found himself standing at the center of the arena. The towering figure of the horned demon slowly approached him, surrounded by wings of flame, brandishing it's pitchfork. Enzo could still vaguely hear Matrix' voice, but he couldn't decipher any words. The rest of the arena was lost in darkness, and Enzo's world became the malignant presence which now loomed over him.

"Enzo! Enzo!" Matrix heard himself screaming. He pounded on the glass furiously, but he couldn't reach the boy. A flood of terrifying memories swept over him, and he sank to his knees. 

Enzo slowly circled the demon, testing his legs under him. He was dressed in black and yellow silks, which covered him from head to toe. "Cool - kung fu fighting!" he giggled. His body felt supple, alive - he could feel the spring in his muscles. Part of him was terrified of the glowing-eyed creature before him, but that very terror gave him a thrill. No one could help him now - he was on his own.

A jet of fire shot towards the youngster, and he somersaulted out of the way, the molten flame missing him by a hair's breadth. Enzo was momentarily astonished by his own reflexes. He was fast, quick - much more so than the lumbering devil that even now bore down on him again. The boy feinted to his left, causing Zaytan to stumble for a moment. Enzo flew through the air and delivered a spinning kick to the creature's head, sparks of green fire exploding as his feet made contact with the beast. The impact sent a shock wave of pain up the youngster's leg, but he sprang back as the devil swung wildly at him with a clawed hand. Zaytan looked back at him, shaking it's head dizzily.

"This isn't so hard!" the boy grinned, dodging another jet of fire. The creature lunged at him, and Enzo leapt high into the air, landing behind the creature and delivering a forearm blow to it's neck. Then, his world was blackness - there was a shattering concussion as the demon caught him with a swinging blow from it's weapon, and he felt himself flying through the air, seemingly forever.

The youngster hit the ground with another bone-jarring impact. His head swam dizzily, and he shook it, desperately trying to clear his vision. The ground began to tremble, and Enzo felt rather than saw Zaytan approaching. He pushed himself to his knees and desperately dove to his right, but he felt a vice-like grip come down on his ankle.

Enzo screamed in agony as the beast squeezed, hard. He felt himself being dragged, then a stinking claw enveloped his head. There was an instant of incredible pain, then nothing.

"Nooo!" Matrix screamed. "Enzo!" The young man felt his breath coming in ragged, heaving gasps, and heard Frisket howling mournfully. "Stupid kid, why did you do it?" He felt his hand move to his chest and realized, with a jolt, that the boy in the arena still wore his original icon. There would be no escape.

Enzo's eyes opened and he was once again standing in the ring, facing down the horned creature. His pain still echoed in his mind, but as the boy gingerly tested his foot he realized that he was physically whole. He had lost the first round. There would be no more second chances.

The devil was smiling now, a hideous sight. It fired a stream of magma at the boy, who darted desperately out of the way, panting. Enzo felt panic rising in his gut. How could he defeat this creature? There was no way - zero chance. He desperately dodged a swing from the beast's barbed tail.

It was hopeless - he'd only been kidding himself. He was truly alone in this game - there was no Bob to protect him, to make sure he was all right. Not even Matrix could help him. How could he possibly hope to survive this encounter - he was only a little sprite! They'd been right all along...

Matrix pressed his hand up against the glass, watching the encounter unfold. He could clearly see that Enzo was now trembling uncontrollably. The young man flinched as the boy narrowly avoided another jet of fire. It was over - the little sprite was terrified. And it was his fault - he'd failed to protect the boy. Failed yet again. Matrix felt his heart defragmenting as he watched Enzo cowering, eyes filled with terror. If only that were him, down there... If only he could have it all to do again...

Enzo halfheartedly aimed a kick at Zaytan's chest, momentarily knocking the creature off balance. The youngster spun to his feet, but felt a sickening thud in his ribs as the devil's foot crashed into him. He flew across the ring, his breath driven from him.

Enzo lay on his back, desperately trying to force air into his lungs. It was over. He's been basic to think he could really win a game on his own. The boy felt the devil's footfalls as it approached, and caught a glimpse of a bearded face, staring down at him from behind one of the entombed images on the walls.

The boy's vision was blocked by the massive claw that descended upon his head. "No!" he screamed, and felt himself rolling to his left. The creature grunted and slowly spun to follow him. "No!" Enzo screamed again, and kicked the creatures legs out from under it. Zaytan fell with a demonic grunt.

The youngster stepped back, using the precious nano of rest to regain his wind. "It's not true - I _can_ fight!" he hissed. "I'm not just a.." he launched a spinning kick at the beast's head as it lumbered towards him, causing it to twist backwards at an impossible angle. The boy spun again, repeatedly, delivering a series of blows in a symphony of green fire. "Weak...little...sprite!"

Enzo rested, hands on his knees, panting. The creature was dazed, slowly trying to regain it's feet. The boy desperately willed the strength to flow through his body, to finish the kill. "Eeeyaagh!" he screamed, pouring all of his energy into a furious, head-on assault of the horned creature. It grasped at his feet and missed, then it's head snapped back with a crunch as they found their mark.

Matrix could scarce believe his eye - had he processed what he thought he had? He heard an astonished laugh escape his chest, and pounded on the glass repeatedly.

Enzo opened his eyes to find himself once again facing the creature from across the arena. He glanced up and made eye contact with the bearded figure behind the glass for a nano, then turned his focus back to the demon as it slowly approached him, much more warily this time. He easily dodged a jet of fire from the beast.

"One all, now." he said softly. "This is for all the databits..." The demon made a lunging grab at him, and the boy lithely sidestepped it. He feinted a kick at the beast's chest, then backed off. The two combatants circled each other warily.

"Think you're pretty tough, don't ya?" the little sprite whispered, thinking aloud. "You got all the advantages... But it was pretty hard for you to get up after I knocked you down, wasn't it? Took you a couple of nanos..." Enzo feinted to his right and spun to his left, delivering a glancing blow to Zaytan's head. He felt a jet of flame singe his arm and leapt back.

"The neck - that's your weakness!" Enzo hissed. "But it's pretty hard to get at it, as long as you're facing me..." The boy tried a series of misdirections, desperately trying to flank the devil and get behind it, but was unable to launch an attacking blow.

The creature fired a jet of flame at Enzo's left flank and spun, and the youngster sidestepped it to his right. Too late to change direction the boy saw the beast's tail whip towards him, and felt a numbness in his shoulder as he was sent head over heels across the ring.

Numbness gave way to searing pain and Enzo winced. His arm hung useless at his side, feeling as though it were broken. Worse, every movement now brought the youngster a fresh jolt of agony. The boy absently clenched and unclenched his fingers as the horned creature smiled and advanced on him. Enzo circled, desperately trying to block out the pain each step sent shooting down his arm.

"I've got to end this!" the boy panted, dragging his throbbing arm behind him as he dodged a stream of magma. "You're not going to get tired, are you?" The creature growled in frustration as it missed him with a wild swing of it's weapon.

"You think you can scare me - but you can't!" Enzo snarled, as the devil squinted in puzzlement. "I'm Enzo Matrix! I learned from the best! I may not be big..." The boy launched himself off the ground, aiming a kick at the creature's vulnerable head. Zaytan threw up a treelike arm as a barrier.

"But I'm smart!" Enzo shouted, changing direction and kicking at the beast's knee. It howled in pain, and keeled onto it's side. Enzo rabbit-punched it in the side of the neck once, twice. Snarling, the beast spun to face this new attack just as the boy somersaulted into the air, landing directly behind the devil.

"I'm not afraid of you!" the boy screamed, spinning all of his weight into a furious kick at the demon's head. Zaytan's neck snapped to the side at a sickening angle, and the youngster fell to the hard ground, panting and exhausted.

_"GAME OVER_"

Enzo felt his senses flee him, then opened his eyes to find himself on his back in Pearson's junkyard. Frisket was somewhere nearby, barking furiously. Matrix appeared alongside him, and looked down at him in astonishment. "You - you did it!"

The youngster frantically tried to think of something cool and alphanumeric to say, but could only muster a comical grin. The big sprite returned it, much to the boy's amazement. He reached out his massive hand, and Enzo grasped it with his small one. The two sprites clenched for a moment, saying nothing, then Matrix gently pulled the boy, wincing from his still sore arm, to his feet.

"How'd I do?" Enzo panted, looking over to see a quintet of familiar sprites running towards them.

"You got guts, Kid - but I guess I always knew that." the bearded sprite said gruffly. "But that was still one of the stupidest, low-density stunts I ever processed! You coulda been deleted! Why didn't you let me handle it?"

"Did _you_ always do what you were told?" Enzo glared accusingly at the big sprite. Matrix shook his head and turned away just as the others reached them.

"Everybody's OK?" Bob shouted.

"Yeah - we're fine." Matrix said as AndrAIa embraced him.

"Enzo you - you're all right?" Dot grabbed the youngster's face in her hands tenderly.

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Enzo protested, wriggling out of her grasp. "No problems! Right, Matrix?" The big sprite glared at him.

"How's your arm?" the bearded sprite responded, prompting a death glare from Enzo.

"Your arm?" Dot breathed, noticing for the first time the pained look on Enzo's face. She bent to examine the boy's limb.

"I'm fine!" Enzo grimaced. "It's a little bug! I just need a software patch, that's all..."

"What game was it?" Bob asked.

"I'll tell ya later." Matrix sighed. "But the kid won it - not me."

"What?" Dot gasped. "Enzo?"

"Good for you!" AndrAIa winked. "I knew you could do it!"

"Thanks!" Enzo beamed at her. "What's everybody doin' here, anyways? What's the big deal - it was just a game!"

Matrix threw up his hands and started away, a laughing AndrAIa at his heels. "I have a feeling we'll be hearing about this for a _long_ time..." Dot sighed.

"Enzo's asleep?"

"Yeah, he had a big cycle." Bob yawned, sitting down next to the Command.com.. "I still can't believe I missed that game cube! My instructors at the Academy would take me offline if they knew..."

Dot frowned. "You have to admit, Bob - that was a very strange turn of events. A tear that isn't there, all the way in Sector nine-nine. Then a game cube at the opposite end of the city! Don't blame yourself about it - at least the boys beat the User."

"I guess." the Guardian replied. "They can take care of themselves pretty well, can't they?"

"They had good training. Thank goodness Enzo wasn't badly hurt..."

"His arm'll be fine." Bob smiled reassuringly. "He's real proud of his bruise though, I'll tell you that!"

"Boys!" Dot cried, throwing her hands in the air. "You're all the same..."

"Yep, it's a beauty!" Bob chuckled. "Must've been pretty hard for Matrix - facing that game again. And seeing Enzo come so close to being deleted, just like _he_ almost was..."

"I'd rather not think about that, if you don't mind." the Command.com shuddered. "I can't shake these things off like Enzo can. They stay with me more and more, with each passing minute..."

"Sorry." the Guardian grasped her hand. "You have to admit, though - you're proud. Just a little."

"Of course I'm proud!" Dot answered with a hint of indignation. "I'm proud of both of them. Just like I'm proud of you. That doesn't mean I have to like it, though."

"No..." Bob sighed. "The little guy handled himself pretty well in there, from what Matrix told me. Maybe we should talk about - the future... I don't know how much longer he'll let us put if off."

"I know. We should. But tomorrow - not now. We should talk about it with Enzo. It's his code we're talking about, after all."

Bob raised an eyebrow. "If you say so... It _is_ getting late. I guess I should head back to my place."

"I suppose." Dot sighed. "I'm going to talk to Matrix and AndrAIa about getting there own place tomorrow. They're going to need some credits."

"Well-" the Guardian began, hesitatingly. "I had a little thought about that..."

"Oh? What was that?" Dot asked, sitting up on the sofa.

"Well - it seems kinda basic to me, those two zipping all over Mainframe looking for a place. I mean, when there's a perfectly nice apartment in Kits that might be available any nano." Bob grasped Dot's hands in his own and met her eyes with his. "D'you think there's any chance that apartment might become vacant anytime soon?"

Dot's mouth twisted into a half smile as she stared, wordless, at the Guardian. "It's possible." she whispered, meeting his lips with her own.

"Can't sleep, Lover?"

"Naw - thinking too much." Matrix sighed. "You always tell me I get into trouble when I think too much."

The game sprite scratched Frisket's ears, causing his tail to thump the docking bay loudly. "I know how hard it was, Enzo - to see what you saw today. That game. If you want to talk about it-"

"No - it's OK." the young man said softly, wrapping a burly arm around his companion. "I just need to process things out for a byte. Sort and file. Just don't go anywhere, OK?"

"Never." she whispered. They lay quietly for a time, AndrAIa's head on Matrix' shoulder, until their reverie was broken by a cacophony of coughing and sputtering.

"Bob's home late!" AndrAIa whispered.

"Must've been at Dot's."

"Yeah..." The game sprite let out a tremendous yawn. "Up late _talking_, no doubt... Good night, Enzo..."

"Night." the big sprite whispered. AndrAIa drifted off, leaving the young man alone with his thoughts.

With a sigh, Dot threw back the covers and sat up in her docking bay. Sleep wasn't going to come easily this night, that much was obvious. After a few nanos aimlessly browsing through a copy of 'Mainframe Business Hourly' she tossed the magazine aside, donned her robe and headed down the hall.

Enzo's door was open a crack, so she peeked inside. The boy was sleeping peacefully. Dot was struck - as she always was - by the contrast between the maniacally active sprite who kept her on her toes all day and the blissfully serene figure before her now. The Command.com tiptoed next to the youngster's bed and sat, quietly staring at his sleeping form, lost in thought.

How many nights had she cried herself to sleep, thinking that she'd never see the boy again? The last member of her family - gone. It had been almost enough to break her spirit - there were mornings were the woman hadn't been certain she could rise and face the cycle. And now, incredibly, here he was - every bit as irritating, exhausting, ingratiating, and fecklessly charming as ever. It was almost more than she could have hoped for - when there had been no brothers, now there were two.

Two brothers... She found herself staring at Enzo's face, wondering how she could possibly even think about allowing this innocent to face the harsh world of games - a world which had already claimed his childhood once. She thought of Matrix, barely one-one, forced to survive on his own, injured, with only a small sprite for company. With no Dot to protect him, care for him. The thought was nearly unbearable - she stifled a sob, and unconsciously reached out and grasped Enzo's hand.

"Wha-?" the boy woke with a start. He saw a shadowy figure next to him in the darkness and cried out in momentary panic.

"It's me!" Dot whispered hastily. "It's all right, I'm sorry-"

"Dot?" the boy mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong!" Dot smiled. "I just couldn't get to sleep, that's all. I'm sorry to disturb you. Go back to sleep..."

"What's the matter?" Enzo yawned. "Is everything OK?"

"Everything's fine." the woman sighed. "I just thought I'd check in, make sure you were all right."

Enzo squinted in puzzlement, shaking the sleep out of his processor. "I'm fine. Why can't you sleep?"

"I dunno. Just one of those things, I guess. Where's Frisket?"

"I guess he's with Matrix and AndrAIa." the boy yawned. "I think he's still a little confused by - you know. He likes to keep an eye on both of us."

"He's a pretty smart dog!" Dot chuckled. "He'll figure it out." Neither sprite said anything for a moment, content simply to rest in the darkness, hands clasped. "You know, I remember when Mom used to come in and watch me sleep at night, sometimes. I wonder if she passed it on to my programming..."

"Yeah - I remember too." Enzo agreed.

"You do?" Dot was surprised.

"Sure." Enzo smiled wistfully, sitting up in bed. "I was real little, but I remember it. She used to sit by the docking bay and hold my hand, and hum some kind of tune. I kinda remember it, but not quite. It's weird!"

"That's right! That's just what she did with me!" Dot laughed. "I'd always try to stay awake as long as I could - because I knew as soon as I fell asleep, she'd be gone - at least as far as I was concerned! I wanted it to last a whole minute."

"Yeah." Enzo nodded. "Me too."

"I bet you miss her, huh?" Dot said softly.

"Yeah." Enzo whispered. "Dad, too. They were great. I think about 'em all the time."

"I bet." Dot sighed, squeezing his hand. "Enzo, I - I know I'm not - like Mom. You know... I try, but you must really miss her-"

"Sure." the youngster nodded. "But it's OK. I'm real happy you're my sister."

"But Enzo, I-"

"Don't _you_ miss her?"

"Of course I do!" Dot sighed. "But-"

"So we both miss her. But that's OK. You take care of me, and I take care of you. That's what alphanumeric about having a sister." Enzo smiled. "And having a brother."

"Do you really mean that, Enzo?" Dot whispered. "It's OK that you - that we only have each other to take care of us? You don't feel bad about it?"

"Naw - don't be basic. I miss Mom and Dad, but you're great. You're an awesome big sister, Dot."

"Thanks!" Dot sniffled.

"Don't start cryin' again!" Enzo wailed.

"Sorry!" Dot laughed.

There were a few nanos of silence as Enzo turned his gaze away from his sister. After a moment, he spoke in a soft voice. "I'm sorry I scared you, Dot. Goin' into that game. I'm sorry."

"I know you are." Dot smiled. "I know you didn't mean to scare me..."

"It's just - I can't help myself, Dot. When the games come, it's like I just hafta be there! I can't think about anything else..." Enzo closed his eyes tightly. "And then, when it's over, and I see how worried you are, I feel totally low-density for making you feel bad..."

"It's OK, Enzo. I know it's hard - I know how much you love to go into the games with Bob. I may not like it, but I understand."

"But-"

"But nothing! I don't want you to feel bad." Dot said firmly. "C'mere." She wrapped her arms around Enzo and hugged him tightly. The boy, for once, made no attempt to extricate himself. He rested his head contentedly on her shoulder, and she on his.

Dot gently smoothed the boy's hair, desperately fighting to control her emotions. The rest of Mainframe seemed not to exist in that moment - her love for the small sprite in her ams filled her heart to the exclusion of all else. It was enough.

"No feeling bad, right?" she whispered after a long nano. "We all process in our own way, Enzo. All we can do is the best we can - OK?"

"OK!" he smiled. "Thanks Dot - you're the best."

"You're pretty alphanumeric yourself, Buster!" she grinned, kissing him on the forehead. "Now we both need to go to sleep - talking care of each other is a full cycle's job!"

"Bob can help some." Enzo said softly, laying his head back down on his pillow. "Can't he?"

Dot stared down at him for a nano. "Yes - Bob can help some. Sweet dreams, Enzo."

"Dot?"

"Yes?"

"You could stay for a while, if you want." Enzo whispered. "We could both pretend - you know..."

"Sure, Enzo." Dot smiled. The Command.com grasped Enzo's hand in hers once again and reclined back in her chair, humming a simple, plaintive melody.

"Well, good mornin', Phong!" Mouse smiled. "And what're you doin' inside on such a lovely cycle?"

"Oh, you know me, Child." the old sprite nodded. "I am a bit of a house mouse, when all is inputted. Is there something I can assist you with?"

"House mouse, I like that!" the hacker chuckled. "Say - sure was funny, that business with that tear in sector nine-nine, wasn't it, Hon'?"

"Indeed, Young Mouse. We are living in strange seconds, are we not?"

"Very strange, Sugar." the hacker smiled evenly. "Kinda a happy coincidence that Matrix and Enzo happened to be right under that game cube when it fell, too. Especially since ol' Bob was too far away - all the way in sector nine-nine, wasn't it, Honey? - to make it into the game."

"Yes..." the old sprite mused, wringing his hands and rolling out from behind the command console to face the red-haired woman. "There is an old read-me file which says, 'There are no accidents, only'-"

"You got a sayin' for just about everythin', don't ya - ya sly old dog! Ya got one in there about meddlin' old sprites and the games _they_ play?"

"I - I do not recall any such read-me file, Mouse." Phong replied stiffly. "Perhaps you would like to write one? It would be a nice gift to future generations, would it not?"

"Always thinkin' of the future - that's our Phong!" the hacker smiled thinly. "So I guess there's gonna be a full diagnostic - ta figger out what happened with that tear-"

"Yes - I have already completed it, in fact. Late last cycle. I was unable to determine the cause of the erroneous readings. I fear it will forever remain a mystery, Young Mouse..."

Mouse leaned an elbow on the console, staring at the old sprite and saying nothing for a long moment. Finally, she smiled and turned to go. "That's all I needed to know. I guess ya didn't get to be this old by bein' basic, did ya? See ya in the screen savers!"

"Mouse-"

"Don't worry, Hon' - I know when to keep my input shut." the hacker chuckled. "Stay frosty!"

"Before you go..." the old sprite called out. Mouse turned and looked at him quizzically. "As the immediate crisis appears to have passed, I was wondering if you had decided about your future plans. We still need all the help that we can process, Child. Daemon will turn her attentions to us again, I am certain. I do not doubt that an official position of some sort could be arranged-"

"I dunno, Sweetie." the redhead sighed. "The Mouse is a free agent, y'know? She don't work for nobody! Still, there _is_ somethin' about this place. And that surfer fella seems to like it here, too. Let's just say that I don't plan on goin' anywhere for a while an' leave it at that - OK, Sugar?"

"Very well." Phong nodded. "I shall enjoy your continued company, Child - things are rarely boring when you are in the sector. Still, at my age a little boredom is perhaps not such a bad thing..."

"Home, sweet diner." Dot sighed, pushing through the doors and entering the familiar surroundings. "That was a lovely walk, Bob - just lovely."

"Yeah, I enjoyed it!" Bob grinned, giving the woman a quick peck on the cheek. "Especially that part where we-"

"M'amm." Cecil nodded formally. "So nice to see you here again."

"I know, I know - I've been neglecting the place, Cecil. That's going to change, I promise. Have you seen Enzo?"

"Yes, M'amm. He's-"

"Bob!" the boy shouted, bursting into the diner and knocking the Guardian to the floor.

"Just coming now." Cecil finished, rolling off.

"Bob, where've you guys been? Ray took me for a ride on his surfboard - it was great! We surfed all over the place, even Lost Angles. He even let me drive it! It was totally Alphanumeric! Well, I didn't really drive it, I just kinda steered it or something, but it was pixelacious, totally awesome, completely high-res! Do you wanna see my bruise? It's all black and yellow - it's _totally_ cool! Too bad I'm not gonna have a scar-"

"Enough!" Dot interrupted. 

"Oh - Hi, Sis!" the youngster grinned.

"Hi yourself." she answered. "C'mon, let Bob up and let's grab a booth. We need to talk."

"Aw, not again!" Enzo moaned. "Whenever she says that, I have to do something totally lame..."

"Process positive, Enzo!" Bob scolded, pushing himself to his feet. "Even Dot can be unpredictable once in a while!"

"What do you mean, 'Even Dot'?" the Command.com scowled. "Why, I'm as spontaneous as any sprite or binome in Mainframe! I just like to prepare for things, that's all-"

"Sorry! You're a real party girl!" Bob laughed. "Cee-cil - how about three mocha java applet sundaes over here?"

"That's Ce-cil!" Cecil fumed. "I am a dedicated server, not a soda jerk..."

"Now!" Dot smiled, patting the seat next to her. "Let's talk."

"Sure." Enzo slid into the booth. "What about?"

"About that game yesterday, for starters." Bob said.

"Aw, don't start that again!" Enzo wailed. "Enzo's just a _little_ sprite - games are too _dangerous_ for him! Little Enzo can't handle a game! He-"

"Stop!" Dot shouted, hands in the air. "Let _us_ talk, for a nano. Then you can talk, and we'll listen. I promise. OK?"

"OK..." the youngster replied dubiously.

Dot drummed her fingers on the table nervously. "Well, to begin with, we - Bob and I - we're very... we're proud of what you did yesterday."

"You _are_?" the boy gasped in astonishment.

"Sure!" Bob grinned.

"Well, putting aside the question of whether you should have been there in that game to begin with..." Dot sighed. "What you did, the courage you showed - we're both proud of you. You're a very brave boy."

"Gee... thanks!" Enzo grinned dumbly. "It wasn't anything much..."

"Well, that's as may be." Dot pushed on. "Enzo, what you did - in the game - is that something you want to keep doing? Is it-"

"Do I? _Do_ I? D'you even have to ask?" Enzo exclaimed. "It's totally cool! Of course I want to do it!"

"I thought you might say that." Dot sighed. "Enzo, if it's what you want - if this is really important to you - then it isn't right for me or anybody else to stop you from doing it. I don't like it, but you can go into the games with Bob."

"Pixelacious! You mean it?"

"Yes." Dot nodded.

"Totally cool! Yeah!" Enzo shouted, jumping on the table. "Bob, this is gonna be great! We're gonna have so much fun-"

"Wait!" Dot interrupted. "That's not all. If you're going to do this, there's going to have to be some rules."

"What kind of rules?" the youngster asked warily.

"Well, to begin with - under _no_ circumstances are you to go into a game by yourself. You may only go if Bob is with you - or if not Bob then at least some adult. You got that?"

"I got it, I got it..."

"And when you're in the games, you mind Bob - do what he tells you!" Dot continued urgently. "At all times!"

"Yeah, Enzo." Bob added. "I know you have fun, but games are serious business. They can be _deadly_ serious business. One mistake and you're nullified, and a whole sector with you - maybe a populated one. You're going to have to prove to me that you respect that."

"Yeah, yeah, no problem!" the boy replied. "I will, I promise. Don't you trust me, Bob?"

"Yes, I do." Bob smiled. "But that's not always going to be enough. Another thing, Enzo - when you come into a game with me, you're there for one reason - to learn. And that means paying attention when I tell you stuff. It's important. If you want to play games, you have to be prepared to study them, to get better. Do you understand?"

"Sure." Enzo grinned. "You're the best, Bob - I'll listen!"

"And speaking of studying..." Dot interrupted. "This game business isn't going to interfere with your schoolwork, or your chores around the diner. I still expect you to keep your grades up and pull your weight around here, even if it means skipping games. You got me, Mister?"

"Awwww..."

"Enzo! I mean it!" Dot insisted. "Promise!"

"I promise." the boy sighed. "You happy now?"

"No. But I hope you will be. And I'll just have to learn to live with it." She pulled the boy off the table and into a hug - the only place, it felt to her, that he was truly safe. "I'll just have to trust you - both of you."

"One last thing." Bob said, handing the boy an icon. "I had Mouse make this up for you. Never go into the games unless you're wearing this icon, Enzo - do you understand?"

"A game sprite icon! Coolness!" the boy exclaimed.

"Enzo - that icon is your protection - in case something terrible happens." Dot said, gently brushing the hair out of Enzo's eyes, her face forlorn. "It is never to be used unless all other alternatives have been exhausted - understand?"

"Understand!" Enzo nodded.

"Hey." Matrix called, walking into the diner. The bearded youth suppressed a smile at the scene playing out. "What's processing?"

"Lemme go!" Enzo growled, breaking free of Dot and rolling to his feet. "Dot's gonna let me go into the games, Matrix! Isn't that awesome?"

"Real alphanumeric." Matrix answered, arching an eyebrow at his sister. "You sure, Dot?"

"No - but I'm doing it anyway."

"Cool. You guys mind if I borrow Enzo for a while?"

"What for?" the youngster asked suspiciously.

"Don't bust a diode, I just wanna talk." the young man sighed.

Dot and Bob exchanged glances. "Sure - he's all yours."

"Thanks, Sis. C'mon, Kid - let's take a zip."

"Stay frosty!" Bob called as they left. "I wonder what that's all about." he mused, watching the mismatched pair disappear slowly into the distance.

"At least they're talking." Dot sighed. "I sure hope we're doing the right thing..."

"What does your heart tell you?"

Dot narrowed her eyes at the Guardian for a nano. "It tells me that I just made Enzo very happy - and that can't be all bad. It also tells me that I'm crazy to let that sweet little sprite out of my sight again - much less into a game. Not much help, is it?"

Bob wrapped his arm around the woman and held her to him gently. "I've given up looking for easy answers, Dot - they don't exist. Some things you can only learn from experience."

"Experience..." Dot chuckled bitterly. "Every cycle I think about what Enzo had to go through - to survive out there, on his own - it's hard to accept. I feel like I let him down..."

"Dot-"

"I want him to know I'll - I'll always be there. That I'm sorry!" Dot whispered.

"So tell him!" Bob said softly.

"Where are we going?" Enzo called out to the big sprite.

"Don't you know?" Matrix shouted back. "Just follow me!" The youth led the boy down a series of alleyways and side streets, finally coming to vast, vacant district. He came to a stop on a barren plain, nothing but emptiness for sectors in any direction. 

"Dude - where are we?" Enzo gasped.

Matrix looked around. "The Tor used to be here - right on this spot."

"But - why?" Enzo was genuinely puzzled. "What's going on?"

"I wanted to talk to you, Enzo - and I didn't want any interruptions. I doubt anyone ever comes here. I figured we wouldn't be disturbed." The bearded sprite sat, cross-legged, on the bare ground. "And it seemed fitting, somehow..."

Enzo sat, eying the big man a little warily. "OK - so talk."

Matrix stared straight ahead, saying nothing for several nanos. "I think I've been kind of a jerk to you, Kid. I'm sorry."

"No big deal..."

"Whatever. Try to understand me, Enzo - it's just that... when I first saw you - it was strange. _Very_ strange. And then, every time I looked at you, it just made me angry. It felt like I had a virus inside, eating me alive..."

"But - why?" Enzo asked. "I never did anything to you! All I ever did was try to talk to you-"

"Please - this isn't easy!" Matrix hissed. "I'm not very good at this stuff - just let me say what I'm gonna say, OK?"

"Fine!"

The big sprite gathered his thoughts for a moment. "That game yesterday, what you did - it was amazing. It took a lot of guts. A lot of smarts. And even _that_ made me angry, when I thought about it!"

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to be down there!" Matrix scowled. The big youth visibly fought to control himself. "Because I wanted to be the one in that arena. I wanted to prove myself against Zaytan - and you stole that away from me."

"But - you _are_ me!" the youngster protested. "Aren't you?"

"No! I don't really understand it - but no. I'll be honest, Enzo - even now, it's tough for me to sit here, to talk with you. It still eats me inside. But I think I understand now that none of this is your fault - and it's not fair for me to blame you for what I'm feeling. We're both going to have to learn to deal with each other."

"It's no fun for me either, you know." Enzo said softly.

"What do you mean?"

"It's no fun sometimes, having you around!" the boy spoke louder, feeling courage welling up in his chest. "Because every time I see you, I know that I'm not real!"

"Not - real?"

"No! _You're_ Enzo Matrix - I'm just a copy!" the boy snarled. "I'm not even really who I think I am. Everybody looks at me funny, like they know I'm not the real Enzo. I'm a fake! I feel like Enzo, I look like Enzo - but _you're_ Enzo! I'm just an imitation, a backup, a copy-"

"That's not true!" the big man protested.

"Yes it is - and it's totally basic! Every time I see you, it reminds me I don't even belong here."

"That's funny - I was thinking exactly the same thing!" Matrix chuckled bitterly.

"What?"

"Kid, _you're_ the real Enzo - at least as far as Mainframe is concerned. They don't know me - I'm a total stranger. Even Dot doesn't really think of me as a brother. You're the brother she knows - not me."

"Dude!" Enzo said softly. "That's too weird."

"As far as these people are concerned, _I'm_ the copy - not you." the big sprite continued. "And every time I look at you, it reminds me I don't even belong here." Matrix ran a massive hand across his eyes, hiding his face from the boy. "I see how Bob looks at you... The way he used to look at me. The way he smiles when you do something funny, how proud he was when you won that game... I see how Dot protects you, looks out for you. She used to do that for me. Before I changed. Before I disappointed all of them..."

"Dude - that's not true!" Enzo protested. "Dot totally worries about you, all the time! She thinks you don't want to talk to her!"

"What? She said that?"

"You must be basic!" Enzo laughed. "Bob isn't disappointed in you - he thinks you're great! All that stuff you did, finding him on the web - that was awesome, Dude. I can't believe you thought that stuff about Bob and Dot!"

"I'm not even sure I know what to think..."the youth hesitated.

"So - now we know why you hate me." Enzo chuckled bitterly.

"Enzo, I..." Matrix leaned back on his elbows, looking up at the sky. "I really did hate you, for a while. I'm sorry."

"Whatever." the youngster said in a soft voice, unconsciously imitating the big sprite's posture.

Matrix wrestled with a thousand thoughts, each trying to rise from a confused mass to the surface. "Try - try to understand." he started haltingly. "I was _angry_, Enzo. I thought you failed. I thought _I_ failed. I thought you were weak, soft. I thought I had to change, to be totally different from that little sprite that lost the game and let Mainframe down."

"I'm sorry." Enzo whispered.

The bearded sprite pressed ahead, relief at finally giving vent to his thoughts driving him onward. "I thought all I had to was be the total opposite of you - in every way. I thought I'd done it - thought I'd left you behind me for good. And then you showed up, and it was like - like all those nightmares came back, all at once. I crashed, Enzo - I just couldn't deal with it."

"But it's not true!" Enzo hissed, rolling onto his side to glare at Matrix. "I'm _not_ weak! I'm not soft! I cant help it if I'm a little sprite, I can't help it!" Enzo felt a flood of anger overcome him, consume him. He began to rain his fists down on Matrix' massive chest, over and over. "I can't help it, delete you! I can't!"

"Stop!" Matrix shouted, grabbing Enzo's wrists and holding him as the boy continued to struggle in his grip. "I know! I know, Enzo! Stop!"

"Why do you have to say that stuff?" Enzo fumed, holding down tears of rage. "I can't help it if I'm just a little sprite!"

"I know!" Matrix repeated. "No more hitting - all right? All right?" The boy finally nodded, and Matrix released his wrists. "I'm sorry, Enzo. I'm sorry I said all of those things about you. It wasn't fair. It was totally basic of me."

"You bet your bitmap it was!" Enzo snarled.

"OK, OK!" the bearded sprite chuckled. "It took me a long time, Enzo, but I finally figured out you're right. AndrAIa helped me. Bob helped me, too. But mostly, it was watching you, last cycle. In that game.

I guess I didn't really remember it, but I - you - always did your best. You never gave up. In games... in everything. It was always an adventure, and you never ran away from anything - even when you were afraid. Even when you screwed up, you always came back for more. That's not easy when you're a little sprite.

I was running for a long time Enzo - it didn't seem like that long to Bob and Dot, but for AndrAIa and me it felt like a lifetime. And that whole time, I was trying to be something because I thought that's what I was supposed to be. I was turning into someone completely different - someone terrible..." The bearded youth shuddered momentarily. "I didn't really figure out till just now that I was fine being who I was."

The youth met Enzo's eyes with his own good eye, locked his gaze fiercely on him. "I hated you, Enzo - and as long as I did, I was never going to be happy. I carried that hate with me for my whole life, and it all spilled out when I saw you, after the reboot. You don't deserve it - neither of us do. I'm sorry."

"So - you don't hate me now?" Enzo asked hopefully.

"No - not most of the time." Matrix sighed. "There are gonna be good cycles and bad cycles, Enzo. I'll do the best I can. That's all anybody can do."

"It wasn't very easy for me either, y'know." Enzo stated, lower lip out. "Seeing you around all the time. Knowing what I'm gonna look like, how I'm gonna act when I'm old."

"Old?!"

"It's not fair, Dude - I don't even get to make my own future - it's already done! Y'know what that feels like? It's totally basic! Why should everybody else get to do everything and find stuff out as they go along and I have to have it all decided for me?"

"That's not-"

"Shut up!" Enzo shouted. "You know what the worst part is? Seein' you around, and knowing that was gonna be me - and I was gonna be so low-density all the time! Never having any fun, never even smiling! I'm gonna grow up and be a big jerk that never smiles! How d'you think that feels?"

"I - I don't know." Matrix stammered. "I guess not very good..."

"Awful!" Enzo snapped. "All I wanted to do was talk to you, and you couldn't even do that..."

"I'm sorry."

"There' so much I wanna _ask_ you!" the boy sighed. "You know everything about me - about what's it gonna be like. I wanna know all that stuff! I wanna know what it's like, to be older. To be a man, like you are. What I'm gonna feel like. And you wouldn't even talk to me!"

"Enzo, some of that stuff - I think it's better if you find out yourself, as you go along. Shortcuts aren't always the best way to get to a place-"

"Y'see? You _still_ won't talk to me!"

"Enzo! I'll try. I promise." the young man smiled. "Believe me, I know how you feel. I don't know if you'll like my answers, but I promise I'll try to help you as much as I can. I'm not much of a talker..."

"Yeah - me either!" Enzo nodded. The boy was astonished to hear a laugh - an actual laugh - emanate from Matrix. "What was _that_?"

"I think I laughed!" the big man grinned. "I guess you can make just about anybody laugh. That's a pretty special talent, Kid. Try not to lose it."

"Are you making fun of me?" Enzo sneered.

"No!" Matrix chuckled. "Y'know Enzo, about all that future stuff... I think maybe you're wrong about it being all planned out. I think you're gonna make your own future, and it might not look anything like mine. Just don't let anybody tell you what to do with it. Especially me!"

"Maybe..." the boy replied dubiously. "So - are we like, _brothers_ now?"

"Sure Kid - brothers." Matrix chuckled. He stood and lifted the boy to his feet. "You're a good kid, Enzo - don't let anyone tell you different." He wrapped an arm around the youngster and roughly squeezed him to his side.

"Ow!" Enzo wailed. "Take it easy - you're stronger than Megabyte!"

Matrix grinned down at the boy. "Yeah - we are."

Enzo felt the bearded sprite relax his grip and looked up to see the young man smiling, a sight which brought a wide grin to the boy's own face. He playfully punched Matrix in the gut and they started walking back towards the center of town, Matrix' arm still draped loosely over his shoulder.

Walking side by side with the big sprite, Enzo tried to process all of it. Any way you accessed it, this was still totally weird - this towering figure, looming at twice his height, was _him_. Maybe all that stuff about the future was true, maybe it wasn't - Enzo couldn't be sure. He only knew that for the first time since Matrix had been in his life, he felt _right_. He could see a possible future with both of them in it, together. It felt hopeful, and Enzo was a hopeful sprite by nature. Anything else just didn't feel like _him_, somehow. He'd teach Matrix to be the same way - he just needed a little time, that's all...

"That's not all, Mate - I had to stabilize a tear into a portal between the Web and the Supercomputer once - _and_ with a pack of web creatures on my tail! You wanna talk about action - _that_ was action!"

"Dude!" Enzo exclaimed.

"Sounds like a fish story to me, Ray!" Bob grinned, shaking his head and winking at the youngster sitting next to him. "Lemme tell you about some _real_ danger-"

"You men are all alike!" Mouse laughed. "I tell you what, Sugar - I've seen the inside of some pretty nasty systems - but I don't need to go around braggin' about it! Ain't that right, AndrAIa Honey?"

"Leave me out of this!" the game sprite shouted amicably.

"Steering clear of a fight? That's not my AndrAIa!" Matrix scolded.

"Cecil! Another round o' energy shakes over here!" Ray called out.

"Of _course_, Sir." the server bowed. "I detest zese large parties..."

"Why, if it ain't the Command.com herself!" Mouse exclaimed as the sprite and two binomes entered the diner. "And the dashing Captain Capacitor too. C'mon and join the crowd!"

"By the code, Lass - the Saucy Mare herself could've been named for you!" the Captain bowed. "It's a rare privilege to be in the company of three such lovely maidens!"

"You're a silver tongued ol' rascal, ain't ya Sweetie?" the hacker grinned.

"Since you're all here..." Dot began. "I'd like to make a little announcement, if I may."

"What's processing, Dot?" Bob prompted.

The Command.com took out her organizer and entered a number. "Principal Office." Phong answered.

"Hi, Phong. I'm making a little announcement, and I thought you'd like to hear it."

"Of course, Child. I am most interested." the old sprite smiled. "I am, as they say, made entirely of ears."

"Yes, er - well, as you know, there have been a lot of demands on my time lately, since the reboot. What with the diner, and me being the Command.com, and all." The woman shot a guilty glance at Cecil. "As you also know, Captain Capacitor here gave up his ship in the defense of Mainframe."

"T'were not much." the pirate mumbled.

"Well, we're all grateful." Dot smiled. "In any case, my responsibilities as Command.com are very important to me. As, of course, is this diner." The woman looked around her fondly. "In the meanwhile, the economic infrastructure of Mainframe will have to be rebuilt, and there will be ample opportunity both for profit and for the benefit of all it's citizens.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to devote the time to all of my business interests that they deserve, and Gavin here has both the time and the skill to excel in the world of Mainframe commerce. Therefore, I'm pleased to introduce him as the new Chief Executive Officer of CapaciMatrix Enterprises."

"Alphanumeric!" Enzo beamed.

"Gavin will be looking after all of our commercial interests, until such time as he's able to raise sufficient capital replace the Saucy Mare. Mr. Christopher here will act as our Chief Financial Officer." Dot smiled at the small binome, half hidden behind Captain Capacitor.

"Er, yes." Mister Christopher mumbled. "By my calculations, that should take approximately two minutes, nineteen seconds, two hundred milliseconds and ninety-seven nanoseconds. Allowing for amortization factors and depreciation, of course. Approximately."

"Yes, thank you Mister Christopher!" Dot chuckled. "This arrangement will allow me to devote my time to the things that are most critical to me - my responsibilities as Command.com and as proprietor of Dot's Diner - best in all of Mainframe!" She smiled at the group seated at the table. "And to other things that are even more important..."

"Congrats, Mate!" Ray grinned.

"Yeah, way to go Captain! Good to hear you'll be staying!" Bob exclaimed, raising his shake. "Would you business tycoons care to join us for a celebratory drink?"

"I'd love to." Dot grinned. "But I promised my brother we'd go circuit racing today, and I'm already late. Ready to go - Little Brother?"

"You bet!" Matrix chuckled. "See you later, AndrAIa." the bearded sprite kissed the girl on the cheek and stood.

"Have fun!" AndrAIa laughed. "Go easy on him, Dot - he _hates_ to lose!" 

"Congratulations Dot." Phong smiled from the vidwindow. "I am most pleased to hear that you will be staying with us in Mainframe for a time, Captain. Now, if you will excuse me, I have matters which require my attention."

"See you later." Dot grinned. ""Welcome aboard, Gavin! Oh, and Bob?"

"Yeah, Dot?"

"Isn't it time you thought about getting a haircut?" The Guardian's face reddened as laughter rose around the table.

"A remarkable Lass..." the old pirate mused, watching them go.

"That she is, Captain. That she is." Bob smiled ruefully.

"I think we'll be goin' too, y'all." Mouse said. "I promised Phong I'd help him with the file compression utility. Comin', Sugar?"

"Right behind ya, Lovely Lady!" Ray grinned. "Good on ya, Mates!"

"There is another matter, me Hearties." Gavin said, after the hacker and surfer were gone. "Me crew - some of them will want to stay on in Mainframe, I believe. They are a loyal bunch, and true. Many of them will follow this old captain - even without his ship. We'll need to find 'em new crew quarters - their old ones being lost somewheres, in the deep. Perhaps the lovely AndrAIa will assist me in remedyin' this problem?"

"Of course, Captain." the game sprite smiled. "You know I'm always happy to spend a day in your company." She rose and gave Enzo's cap a playful turn. "Let's leave the heroes of the game to discuss strategy in privacy! So long, Boys."

"Bye, AndrAIa!" Enzo beamed. "See you later?"

"Sure!" The game sprite straightened out Enzo's cap and winked at Bob, then led the Captain and his aide to her waiting motorbike.

"Well, Bud - looks like it's just you and me." Bob said. "How about a quick nap - no better way to spend an afternoon-"

"Nap? That's totally basic, Dude! Let's play jetball, or digi-golf, or-"

"OK, OK!" Bob sighed. "How about we do what AndrAIa said - discuss game strategy. How's that sound?"

"Cool!"

"All right... Let's say you're in a baseball simulation, and the manager of the other team puts in a left-handed pitcher with two outs in the ninth, tie game. Your best pinch-hitter-"

"Bob?"

"What?"

"Thanks, for - for talking Dot into letting me play the games with you. It's totally awesome."

"I didn't really do that, Enzo." the Guardian frowned. "Dot wants you to be the best sprite you can, that's all. It's your decision to go into the games - if that makes you happy. Dot just decided to let you do what made you happy. I didn't have anything to do with it."

"Really?" the youngster asked, surprised. "Don't you _want_ me to go into the games with you?"

"Enzo, that isn't the point! It's just that your sister is thinking about what's best for you, that's all. Even if it doesn't always seem like it to you, at the time. Understand?" The boy nodded solemnly. "But for the file record - I think it's great that you're going into the games with me. You're a good partner."

"You mean it?"

"Promise."

"Thanks!" the boy grinned, taking a huge slurp of his shake. "Games are totally cool, Bob - alphanumeric! But the reason I like 'em so much is 'cause we play 'em together."

"Really?"

"Promise!"

"Thanks, Enzo." the Guardian laughed.

Enzo took another slurp of his soda and kicked his feet nervously. "Uh - thanks anyway, Bob - even if you didn't make Dot let me play."

"Thanks for what, Enzo?" Bob asked quizzically.

The boy looked away. "Just - you know... It's been a lot better since you came to Mainframe, Bob. I guess I was kinda lonely before..."

"Enzo-"

"I know I'm a pain in the ascii sometimes, Bob. I figure maybe sometimes you don't want me around, but you never-"

"Hey!" Bob interrupted, reaching out and gently turning Enzo's face until their eyes met. "I don't do anyone any favors, Enzo. A Guardian _chooses_ the company he keeps."

"Really?' Enzo whispered. "But-"

"No more of that!" Bob scolded. "Me and you, and Dot - we're a team. We stick together. Promises, remember? A Guardian doesn't pick his best friend lightly, Enzo. It's pretty serious business. Games or no games - we're partners. Got it?"

"Got it!" Enzo beamed. "Thanks, Bob!"

"That's OK, Pal." Bob grinned. "What are best friends for? So... What did you and Matrix talk about, last cycle?"

"Stuff." the boy replied. "He's not so bad, I guess - once you get to know him. He's not much fun, though! He-"

_"WARNING: INCOMING GAME_

WARNING: INCOMING GAME"

"Alphanumeric!"

"That's us, Partner!" Bob exclaimed, grabbing his zip board.

"You got it, Bob!" Enzo grinned. The two sprites burst through the doors and sped off towards the descending cube.

Dot and Matrix hovered on their boards, watching silently as the purple cube slowly fell from the sky. "Do you - do you wish you were with them? In the game?" Dot asked after a moment.

"Part of me does." Matrix answered softly. He smiled and reached for her hand. "I dunno if games are where I want to be, Sis. Maybe they are, but maybe it's going to be something else..."

"You know I'll always support you, whatever you do - don't you?" Dot whispered. "You know I'll always... love you?"

"I know." the bearded sprite answered, squeezing her hand. "Me too." The two spites watched, hand in hand, as the game cube descended. Funny, Dot had never really thought about it, but it was beautiful, in it's way. Even games, in a sense, were a gift from the User. They had, after all, brought Bob to her...

Enzo felt a thrill wash over him as he followed the Guardian into the path of the game cube. It felt as if he belonged there, at the Guardian's side - there and nowhere else in the universe. They coasted to a stop and hovered, waiting for the game to reach them.

It was exciting - Enzo loved the fact that he never knew what world he'd be opening his eyes onto after the cube hit. It was like being able to go anywhere, do anything - and never knowing what was going to happen next. The best thing of all, though, was knowing that when he opened his eyes, Bob would be standing right next to him.

The boy felt his skin tingling with energy as the cube reached them. He glanced over and saw Bob grinning in his direction. The last thing Enzo saw was the Guardian wink at him, and then the game was on them. Enzo laughed as he felt the energy course through his body, and readied himself for the adventure ahead.

There was a crackle of static electricity as the cube hit, stabilized. Phong watched it thoughtfully, hands behind his back, for a moment. Then he turned away and back towards the console, humming a tuneless melody to himself. The old sprite felt as good as he had in seconds. Of course, there was the ever-present stiffness in his joints, and it seemed as though he needed a new set of glasses every other nano. Still, there were new wonders to be observed every day, and new problems to be solved. He felt as though he'd been given a second chance - they all had. He would deal with the dangers of the future when they commanded his attentions - in the meantime, it was a wonderful time to be alive.

Phong drummed his fingers on the console thoughtfully. "What do I have to do to get a cup of cocoa around here?" he shouted after a nano. Receiving no reply, the old sprite rolled off with a sigh to prepare it himself. Sometimes, all the troubles of the supercomputer itself seemed trivial compared to the need for a good cup of cocoa...


End file.
